New Nets coach Jordi Fernandez says scoring the ball is Cam Thomas’ superpower.
However he’s right here to assist him degree up that energy, because the younger guard enters a pivotal season in his profession.
“Improvement is the No. 1 factor. For everyone, not simply the younger guys, but additionally the veterans. Everyone has to get higher, there must be a plan,” Fernandez stated. “And my conversations with Cam are ‘Can I enable you to be extra environment friendly of a scorer?’ For those who have a look at his numbers, the much less he dribbles, the extra environment friendly he’s. Like, to the highest of the NBA. It’s spectacular.
“His superpower is to attain the ball, and what we have to do is to assist him try this, however in an environment friendly means. Similar as his playmaking, as a result of he attracts a lot consideration, groups are going to attempt to blitz him, load to him, how he can kick that and create extra assists. It’s on me and the remainder of the teaching employees to assist him, and we consider he can take that subsequent step.”
Thomas averaged a team-high 22.5 factors final season, 28.0 over the ultimate 10 video games.
With Mikal Bridges gone and the Nets rebuilding, Thomas will face much more defensive consideration and might’t fall into forcing pictures.
Fernandez’s level is well-taken.
Thomas’ efficient subject purpose share on appears to be like and not using a dribble is a stellar .658, and a stable .508 on a lone dribble and .483 with simply two.
However when he takes anyplace from three to 6 dribbles, it falls to only .438.
That — together with protection and playmaking — will probably be a spotlight of camp and the preseason.
Thomas is eligible for a rookie extension, together with Day’Ron Sharpe and newcomer Ziaire Williams, who has impressed in summer season exercises.
Beginning Tuesday, the Nets have a three-week window to ink Thomas, 22, to an extension that will kick in for 2025-26.
However no talks are believed to have taken place on any of the trio, and retaining Thomas as a restricted free agent subsequent summer season to sequence signings appears extra doubtless.
“By way of extension talks, there are a number of guys on our staff that we may very well be having those self same conversations with. So we’ll definitely have interaction with brokers and the gamers,” GM Sean Marks stated. “It’s essential to all the time have that door open. The window will definitely shut on the extension if we are able to’t get one thing executed, but it surely’s essential for these gamers to know we care about them, and right here’s the place we see them, whether or not the timing is true this yr or if it’s subsequent offseason from an organizational standpoint and likewise from their standpoint.”
