How Likely Are the Nets to Deal Cam Thomas Amid Trade Rumors?

Rumors of Cam Thomas' departure from the Brooklyn Nets spark heavy speculation.

Nov 11, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) dribbles against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas quickly emerged as the team's star and leading scorer last season, and has carried that over into this year. The 23-year-old is averaging 24.6 points this season, putting himself in position to be an All-Star.

However, as the Nets enter a rebuild, trade rumors surrounding Thomas have started to come up. Brooklyn is expected to trade veterans Cameron Johnson, Dennis Schroder, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Bojan Bogdanovic before the February deadline, but recent reports say that anyone could be up for trade. That includes Thomas.

It's important to note that Thomas and the Nets failed to reach a contract extension back in October. The deadline to extend 2021 draftees was Oct. 21, but with no agreement, Thomas is set to hit restricted free agency in 2025.

It's been known that Nets owner Joe Tsai is a "big fan" of Thomas, according to Nets Daily. With all of this taken into consideration, how likely is GM Sean Marks to trade Brooklyn's star?

While pouring some cold water on the way today’s Cam Thomas rumors were aggregated, @NetsDaily wrote that “multiple sources” have told him that “Joe Tsai is a big fan of Thomas,” among other context on why he very well may not be dealt.https://t.co/bo2P89Dsgh

— Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) November 20, 2024

It's been well known by now that Thomas is one of the more prolific scorers in the NBA. He can score from anywhere on the floor as a 6-foot-3 guard. However, a major flaw in his game has been the ability to create for his teammates. While Thomas is a multidimensional and pure scorer, that's just about all he is. He lacks in the playmaking department for a star of that height.

Something else to note is Thomas' efficiency. A big part of Thomas' scoring outburst over the last two seasons has been his team's situation. The Nets being a rebuilding team do more for his stats than you think. While 24.6 points per game on 45.8% shooting is good, Thomas is more inefficient than not.

While Thomas leads Brooklyn in points, he also leads the team in shots per game, taking 17.8. He's at the top in points but ranks fifth on the team in scoring efficiency and 10th in shooting efficiency.

It may be in the Nets' best interest to trade Thomas before the deadline along with the team's veterans. Brooklyn would get an immense haul for the 23-year-old, similar to what the team got for trading Mikal Bridges.

Thomas is a young and exciting player, but it may be time for Brooklyn to capitalize on his trade value. While the Nets can match any offer he receives in free agency, there's no guarantee he'll want to stay in Brooklyn. Getting even younger and garnering even more draft picks gives the Nets more wiggle room for the future.

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