Nets guard Cam Thomas is expected to miss the next three-to-four weeks with a left hamstring strain, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania.
As we detailed earlier today, Thomas, who has also recently dealt with an illness and a sore back, was removed in the third quarter of Monday’s game vs. Golden State and had been ruled out for Wednesday’s contest in Phoenix due to what the team initially referred to as left hamstring soreness.
Thomas, 23, has ranked among the NBA’s scoring leaders in the first few weeks of the 2024/25 season, averaging a career-high 24.7 points to go along with 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 33.4 minutes per game across 17 outings (all starts).
Perhaps most importantly, he’s scoring more efficiently than ever, knocking down 46.1% attempts from the floor and 38.9% of his three-pointers — both marks would be the best of his career.
The 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Thomas is in the fourth and final year of his rookie contract and will be a restricted free agent during the 2025 offseason after not coming to terms with the Nets on an extension prior to the season.
Brooklyn wants to maximize its cap flexibility next summer, so not extending Thomas early was about keeping the team’s options open and not necessarily a signal that the team doesn’t view the high-scoring guard as part of its future. Still, the belief is that the rebuilding Nets won’t make anyone on their roster untouchable at this season’s trade deadline, and one report this month suggested Thomas is “widely considered to be available.”
Even if Thomas is able to return in just three weeks, he’ll miss Brooklyn’s next eight games. A four-week absence would sideline him through Christmas and cost him 11 contests.
The Nets have a few banged-up players whose availability is in flux, so it’s hard to predict how exactly they’ll cover for Thomas’ absence, but Ziaire Williams, Shake Milton, and Keon Johnson are among the candidates for increased roles.
Confirming Charania’s report on Thomas’ diagnosis, the Nets announced that he’ll be reevaluated in three weeks and also shared updates on a few more injuries (Twitter link via Brian Lewis of The New York Post).
According to the team, Noah Clowney (left ankle sprain) will be reevaluated in two weeks, Jaylen Martin (right knee bone contusion) will be reevaluated in one-to-two weeks, Day’Ron Sharpe (left hamstring strain) is expected to make his season debut within the next week, and Nic Claxton (lower back injury management) has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game and is considered day-to-day.
This sucks, I had him as my MIP this year. Really enjoyed him getting buckets.
Been seeing this floated on twitter, what does this place think of
Kuminga, Podziemski and Melton
for
Johnson, Claxton and Schroder
The return is too light for the Nets. Kuminga and Podz are good fits for their rebuild and have upside, but Claxton is only three years older than Kuminga and he, Johnson, and Schroeder are the Nets three best players right now. For two young, developing guys and a dead money contract? No shot. They would demand a minimum of one unprotected first, probably with at least one extra lightly protected pick.
The money also doesn’t work at all (12.8+7.6+3.5 million is only 23.9 million). Claxton’s current cap hit is 27 million. Johnson is at 22.5 million. Schroeder is at 13 million. That’s not even enough money for any two of them, or even Claxton alone. The Warriors are operating right at the 1st apron as a hard cap, so they can’t take back salary.
What happenedto “strength in numbers”? Didn’t you also say they don’t need to make any moves in the season? (Davey) lol
What if GSW does a sign and trade with Kuminga to balance the money out? Would it work then? That “dead money” contract has value, they can sign any FA up to that $12M this offseason. Lots of quality players available at that slot.
Nets are in rebuild mode, they dont care that Schroder is having a nice year statistically. He’s the one guy GSW should target IMO.
@ Davey….I’m sure you would like one of these heavily lopsided trades in GSW favour. What happened to trading for LBJ, Giannis, Luka, Embiid or your 24/25 strength in numbers mantra? Think you should talk to someone about your emotional state, mood etc? Don’t know whether you’re coming or going, change like the wind. How you trading Melton by the way? LOL
@DaveyJ
Sign and trade also doesn’t work, because again, they can’t take back more money than their current payroll. They’re 500K short of the hard cap for the season; they could get one of Johnson or Schroeder for that trade, but no more. That would not be worth it for either of Podz or Kuminga, let alone both.
Melton’s contract only has value as a salary piece. He’s out for the year and a free agent after he returns.
Targeting Schroeder for the contract of Melton plus some picks would work. He’s a reasonable and sensible target that works financially. But Claxton is basically out of reach entirely, and Johnson would require more than they should logically give up to make the salaries work.