1. Cam Thomas
Cam Thomas is a pure bucket-getter. The Nets guard is not expected to be in the starting lineup this season but could be a factor in the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year race.
Thomas averages 9.5 points across 17.1 minutes per game in his career, but both numbers should drastically rise in 2023-2024. Last season, Thomas played just 15 minutes during the playoffs, but he should be in better standing with the coaching staff now.
Right around last February’s trade deadline, Thomas excited Nets fans, scoring 44 against the Wizards, 47 against the Clippers, and 43 against the Suns in a three-game stretch at the Barclays Center. He became the youngest player in NBA History to score 40 points in three straight games.
Thomas struggles on the defensive side, but his scoring is way too valuable to keep out of the lineup, especially since Brooklyn sometimes struggles to score the basketball.
Thomas started the Nets preseason opener against the Lakers, dropped 26 points (17 in the third quarter) in 22 minutes, and went 4-7 from three-point range.
The Lakers vs. Nets turned into a glorified game of one-on-one for Cam Thomas and Austin Reaves 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5t969IlLqx
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) October 10, 2023
Thomas is a natural shooting guard who also plays point guard. That versatility should keep him on the court in multiple lineups. Thomas is one of the most clutch Nets on the roster and may be the most clutch Net.
Thomas’s dagger three at Madison Square Garden to beat the Knicks in 2022 was cold-blooded.
CAM THOMAS.
— ESPN (@espn) February 17, 2022
DAGGER IN MSG 🔥😤 pic.twitter.com/RoY5q6UhVR
The LSU product will be one of the Nets offensive focal points and should average between 15 and 20 points per game.
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