The rebuilding Brooklyn Nets have a prime opportunity to trade a young star in Cam Thomas to accrue more future assets. The problem is that no one is biting yet.
Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports that, while the Nets are expected to “gauge the market” for the 24-year-old guard, “there simply isn’t” a market that currently exists for him.
A split has been in the cards for some time now. Thomas rejected a two-year, $30 million contract before turning down a one-year, $9.5 million deal that also included the waiving of his no-trade clause. A new contract would help further maximize Brooklyn’s return. Instead, Thomas is on a one-year, $6 million deal that makes him a free agent this upcoming summer.
Additionally, a high-volume scorer with injury issues and a one-dimensional game that lacks much punch on the glass or on defense is not the most attractive of sells, either. Regardless, Thomas can score, and teams on the cusp of contention in need of an offensive punch could be inclined to take a flier. In eight games this season, he is averaging 21.4 points per game in 28.3 minutes.
Shipping Thomas out of town would allow the Nets to focus more on developing some of their younger pieces to work alongside their leading scorer, Michael Porter Jr. (25.6 ppg), and big man Nic Claxton. Rookie Egor Demin, Noah Clowney, and Terance Mann would all factor into an influx of playing time that would become available.
There is plenty of time for a market to develop for Thomas. The NBA trade deadline is not until Feb. 5, where emerging contenders and potential injuries to key players could catapult the Nets’ guard toward the top of some wishlists around the league.
