The Brooklyn Nets have dropped to 22-44 on the year and are now set to be without Cam Thomas for the remainder of the season. The 23-year-old guard is expected to be shut down for the remainder of the campaign due to a hamstring injury. Thomas most recently tweaked his hamstring during Thursday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls, but has battled similar hamstring issues all year.
Thomas has suited up for just 25 total games this season. Across the 31.2 minutes per night he has tallied in these opportunities, the LSU product averages 24.0 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game.
Brooklyn has been conservative with their management of young talent while keeping their spot in the standings in mind. Thomas first popped up on the injury report with a back injury in November and was later added to the injury report with a hamstring concern on November 16th. He then missed a matchup on November 19th before returning for three straight games. Thomas then returned to the injury report with a hamstring issue and was kept out for 13 contests. He reinjured the hamstring two games later and was forced to remain out for an additional 25 contests following this change in circumstance.
The Nets are wise to be careful in their recovery approach as they remain in the early stages of their rebuild. Brooklyn is tied with the Philadelphia 76ers for the fifth-worst record in the NBA, which gives them a 39.5% chance at a top-four pick and a 9.7% chance at the first-overall selection as things currently stand. With 16 games remaining, it is in their best interest to allow this season to slip away and maximize their odds of building into the future.
Thomas is likely to remain a key part of this future vision but will need some significant upgrades in the talent around him if Brooklyn’s outlook is to change. For the time being, it is good to see the Nets taking his recovery process seriously, and it’s not difficult to connect the bigger-picture dots on why this is the best route for both sides.
Expect the Nets’ priority throughout the remainder of the season to be evaluation of their young talent for the future. Look for players like Keon Johnson, Ziaire Williams, and Tyrese Martin to capitalize on the additional minutes and continue proving why they each belong on the NBA level.
