Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas is proving to be one of the NBA’s most exciting players and top scorers early this season. The 6’3”, 23-year-old led the team in scoring last season averaging 22.5 points per game, and through the Nets’ first three games played as of this edition’s printing, was at 30.7.
He tallied 32 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn’s home opener, a 115-102 victory, the team’s first win of the season. Rookie head coach Jordi Fernández, who notched his first career win, commended Thomas on his continued development.
“He talked to his teammates, constantly talked to me on both ends,” said Fernandez. “He was very good, very involved. So that’s what I want to see from him and I want to see this growth.”
Fernandez noted that while putting the ball in the basket is Thomas’s obvious strength, a key objective for him is to strive to be an impactful player on both ends of the court.
“We will give you the ball because we know (scoring is) your super power now,” Fernandez said of his emphasis to Thomas. “Can you do it efficiently? Can you make your teammates better? Can you guard? So all those things he’s doing right now, and I’m going to keep pushing him to even do it better.”
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Fernandez wants Brooklyn to be a ball pressure team that plays fast, takes high-quality shots and stays connected defensively.
Brooklyn didn’t sign Thomas, who was drafted by the franchise in the first round (27th) in 2021 out of LSU, to a contract extension by the October 21 NBA deadline. Therefore, he will become a restricted free agent at the end of this season. The Nets are weighing multiple options as Thomas elevates his value. He could be signed to a long-term deal or moved before the Feb. 6 2025 trade deadline for additional draft capital.
The Nets currently own four first round picks and two second round picks in next year’s draft. And with Ben Simmons’s expiring contract an attractive trade chip, the Nets have a promising foundation on which to rebuild.
Brooklyn hosts the Chicago Bulls tomorrow, the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, and the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, all at Barclays Center.