networks guard Cam Thomas is expected to miss the next three to four weeks with a left hamstring strain, sources say ESPN's Shams Charania.
As we have described in detail earlier todayThomas, also recently battling an illness and a sore back, was substituted in the third quarter of Monday's game against Golden State and had been ruled out for Wednesday's game in Phoenix due to what the team initially described as left Achilles tendon soreness .
The 23-year-old Thomas was among the NBA's top scorers through the first few weeks of the 2024-25 season, posting a career-high 24.7 points in 17 appearances (all starts), along with 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 33 .4 minutes per game).
Perhaps most importantly, he's scoring more efficiently than ever before, knocking down 46.1% of his attempts from the floor and 38.9% of his three-point shots – both of which would be career bests.
The 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Thomas is in the fourth and final year of his rookie contract and will be a restricted free agent in the 2025 offseason after failing to agree to an extension with the Nets before the season.
Brooklyn wants to maximize its cap flexibility next summer. That's why it was about not extending Thomas early to keep the team's options open, and it wasn't necessarily a signal that the team doesn't view the scoring guard as part of its future. Still, there's a belief that the rebuilding Nets won't make anyone on their roster untouchable at this season's trade deadline, and a report this month suggested that Thomas “is generally regarded as available.”
Even if Thomas can return in just three weeks, he will miss Brooklyn's next eight games. A four-week absence would sideline him until Christmas and cost him eleven competitions.
The Nets have a few struggling players whose availability varies, so it's hard to predict how exactly they'll make up for Thomas' absence, but Ziaire Williams, Shake MiltonAnd Keon Johnson are among the candidates for an increase in roles.
The Nets confirmed Charania's report on Thomas' diagnosis and announced he will be re-evaluated in three weeks, while also sharing updates on a few additional injuries (Twitter link via Brian Lewis of the New York Post).
According to the team Noah Clowney (left ankle sprain) will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Jaylen Martin (Right knee bone contusion) will be re-evaluated in one to two weeks. Day'Ron Sharpe (left hamstring strain) is expected to make his season debut next week, and Nic Claxton (lower back injury treatment) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game and is considered day-to-day.
