The Brooklyn Nets are battling a cold stretch of basketball at the midpoint of the 2023-2024 season. The Nets sit 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 19-27 record. Ben Simmons is providing the team a spark amid his return from injury. Moreover, Cam Thomas is shining as a primary scorer. Thus, the Nets must do everything in their power to protect the young guard ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline.
Trading Cam Thomas would be a nightmare for Brooklyn
Cam Thomas has been a bright spot amid the Nets' struggles. The third-year guard is averaging 21.0 points per game and shoots 34.5% on three-pointers so far in 2023-24. He has increased his previous year's average by a whopping 10 points. The Nets need to prioritize him as a piece for the future.
Thomas displays exceptional offensive prowess; however, the young guard still has areas of his game to improve on. Most notably, his perimeter defense and playmaking could use a boost. He only averages 2.4 assists per contest and 0.6 steals per game.
Head coach Jacque Vaughn has previously noted his desire to see Thomas grow in all aspects of his game. While their relationship has gotten stronger, Vaughn previously seemed unsure of whether to use Thomas off the bench or as a starter. This has caused speculation on Thomas' future with the team.
The Nets have been mentioned in rumors ahead of the NBA trade deadline and Thomas would undoubtedly be a desirable piece for other teams. Brooklyn must keep him and allow him to develop.
While it is tempting to trade Thomas for attractive stars, his potential is too high for Brooklyn to give him up. His scoring does not always translate into wins, given the Nets losing record. However, he simply needs more time to grow and settle.
Cam Thomas is not the only player the Nets need answers from ahead of the trade deadline.
Ben Simmons has something to prove
Ben Simmons returned to the Nets lineup on Jan. 29th against the Utah Jazz after a long hiatus. It was his first time on the floor since Nov. 6th, 2023. He had an incredible return, but he still has something to prove.
The Australian forward has struggled to stay on the floor since his trade to the Nets in early 2022. Moreover, his short stint during the 2022-23 season and the early part of 2023-24 showed him lacking his former dominant offensive game.
The 27-year-old started the season averaging 6.5 points per game, a 0.4 decrease from the previous year and nearly a 10-point decrease from his All-Star days with the Philadelphia 76ers. Brooklyn would love for the forward to be more aggressive on offense in addition to his impressive playmaking and defensive ability.
Nevertheless, Simmons has diligently worked to recover from injury and did not disappoint in his late January return. He ended the matchup against the Jazz with an exceptional 10 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds.
It is clear Simmons is on a mission to prove his value, and he needs to continue to do so to prevent the Nets' record from further falling.
All all in, Brooklyn's midseason slump will define its future. The team has quality pieces to build around and it must protect them ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline.
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