Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas is approaching a return from an extended injury absence. The 24-year-old will participate in five-on-five scrimmages on Thursday for the first time since straining his hamstring during a Jan. 2 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Thomas averaged 24.7 points on 45/38/88 shooting splits over 19 appearances to start the season. His return will significantly boost a Nets offensive that has struggled during a recent 6-1 stretch. Brooklyn ranks dead last in scoring (102.0 points per game) over its last seven games but has made up for it by posting the NBA’s top defense.
“It’s always a process, but I just see it as a positive,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said about reintegrating Thomas into the rotation. “He was so impactful and so good for the group. As you know, we’ve had so many different lineups, and when you bring somebody as talented as he is, it’s just positive… We just know that he’s going to make us better.”
Thomas missed six weeks due to a hamstring injury earlier this season. He returned for two games before suffering another hamstring strain against the Bucks.
Cam Thomas nearing return as Nets push for play-in spot
The Nets have struggled to field a competent offense during Thomas’ absence. They are scoring 9.5 fewer points per 100 possessions with him off the floor, the team’s highest offensive rating swing, per CleaningTheGlass. The LSU product will pair with D’Angelo Russell as Brooklyn’s starting backcourt once fully healthy.
The pairing has shared the court for one game since Russell joined the team in a Dec. 29 trade from the Los Angeles Lakers.
“It’s great. We need him,” Russell said. “To get him back into the rotation, it’s just an extra boost for us… I know what he’s capable of. As far as trying to share the court, it’s just figuring out ways to keep complementing his game and putting him in a position to do what he does.”
Thomas’ return comes as the Nets push for a postseason birth. Following the 6-1 stretch, Brooklyn is 1.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the Eastern Conference’s final play-in spot. Adding a reliable scoring punch alongside their surging defense could be the addition that helps them pass the Philadelphia 76ers and Bulls in the standings.
“There’s no question [he will help us]. We all know exactly what Cam Thomas is going to do when he gets back out there,” Trendon Watford said. “I think all our offensive struggles will come to an end as soon as he steps foot out there.”
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