ESPN: Nets' Claxton, Thomas 'Middle-Round' Fantasy Basketball Targets

The Nets duo presents high value.

Feb 4, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) celebrates with center Nic Claxton (33) during the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The low league-wide expectations surrounding the Brooklyn Nets may result in major draft steals for the 2024-25 fantasy basketball season.

Amid their ongoing rebuild, Brooklyn presents the opportunity for "empty calorie" stats, allowing players to bolster their typical numbers while stacking up losses. After finishing near the top of points and rebounds per game, the Nets' duo of Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton could be primed to become league-winners.

In a recent article by Eric Moody of ESPN, Thomas and Claxton are listed as "top middle-round targets." The former emerged as one of the most lethal scorers in all of basketball in 2022-23, and now under head coach Jordi Fernandez, Thomas looks to build on last season's 22.5 points a night. Similarly, Claxton developed into a double-double machine, which is typically the key to success in fantasy basketball.

Both players will likely fall in the majority of drafts simply because the Nets have been so overlooked as of late. Despite being in what may be the nation's biggest market, the lack of wins led to minimal media exposure outside of local outlets. If Brooklyn's duo is truly projected to fall to the middle rounds, many participants will come out on top by betting on the combo of Thomas and Claxton.

Fans and fantasy basketball players alike will have to await the Nets' Oct. 23 opener against the Atlanta Hawks to see what the on-court product looks like, but both up-and-comers are worth a flier should they be available.

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