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Cam Thomas of the Brooklyn Nets has only played in 18 games so far this season.
It has been a tough season for Cam Thomas, who has been limited to just 18 games so far this campaign due to a left hamstring issue. The Brooklyn Nets dropped some news regarding Thomas amid his struggles ahead of Monday’s game against the Phoenix Suns.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, coach Jordi Fernandez revealed that the team isn’t planning on increasing Thomas’ minutes. The 24-year-old has come off the bench since returning from his hamstring injury on December 27 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“Yeah, right now we’re happy where he is, with the minutes he’s playing with the production, being that willing playmaker; because we know how good he is scoring the basketball, and taking those steps defensively,” Fernandez said, via the New York Post.
“Right now, we’re happy where he is,” the coach added. “We need him to stay in those minutes a little longer because I, we, just believe what’s most important right now is his body, and (how) his body reacts. And we’re gonna be cautious with that.”
Thomas scored just three points on Sunday in their 124-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls, going 1-for-6 from the field, but he did dish out 10 assists. With the Nets playing the second game of a back-to-back, it’s safe to assume that Thomas will get rested against Phoenix.
Thomas Can Enter Free Agency
After spending much of the past offseason as a restricted free agent, Cam Thomas signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets. Thomas agreed to the qualifying offer so that he can enter free agency this summer.
The LSU product missed out on a huge payday after 24.0 points per game last season. He led the Nets in scoring and has been a regular starter for the past two years.
However, his hamstring issues limited him to just 25 games last season. He also entered restricted free agency at a bad time. Teams were interested, but they couldn’t make huge offers because of salary cap restrictions.
With how tough he has been playing this season, it will be interesting to see how he approaches free agency. He needs to re-establish himself as a top scorer for Brooklyn if he wants to sign a respectable contract in the summer.
Kevin Durant Critical of How Nets Treat Thomas
Former Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant seemingly took a shot at the franchise earlier this month for how they were treating Cam Thomas. Durant, who now plays for the Houston Rockets, sees a lot of upside in Thomas, and he could not wait for the right team to allow him to flourish.
“I feel like Cam has a bright future. It just takes somebody to believe in his talent and his skill. Hopefully, somebody takes a chance on Cam and gives him what he deserves and puts the ball in his hands and builds around him and lets him grow into a player. Hopefully, a team puts some trust in him,” Durant said, via ClutchPoints’ Erik Slater.
The Nets drafted Thomas at No. 27 in 2021. He primarily came off the bench in his first two seasons in Brooklyn before having a breakout 2023-24 season, averaging 22.5 points.
Juan Paolo David Juan Paolo David is a sports journalist covering basketball for Heavy. He has a decade of experience writing about the NBA and WWE. He’s currently based in the Philippines. More about Juan Paolo David
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