Nets’ Cam Thomas takes significant step towards return as trade buzz grows

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas is nearing a return from a multi-month absence. Sidelined since Nov. 5 by a left hamstring strain, Thomas participated in a five-on-five scrimmage on Saturday. While he did not suffer a setback, the Nets are taking a cautious approach with the guard’s return timeline.

“CT is doing great. He had his 5-on-5 yesterday. He looked really good, and he’s going to continue to do that until we feel he’s ready to go,” Jordi Fernandez said. “It’s just a matter of when. We’re not targeting a specific date. We want to see how he feels, then go to the next session, see how he feels, and then keep building from there. Obviously, the No. 1 priority is him and his body. And whenever he’s ready to help the team, he will.”

Cam Thomas participated in a 5v5 scrimmage yesterday, but the Nets don't have a target date for his return, per Jordi Fernandez:

“He looked really good. And he's going to continue to do that until we feel he's ready to go… It's just a matter of when. We're not targeting a… pic.twitter.com/2v67xCo73s

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 21, 2025

Thomas strained the same hamstring three times last season, limiting him to 25 games. The 24-year-old averaged 24.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists on .408/.356/.875 shooting splits across seven games before his hamstring injury.

Will Cam Thomas return to Nets’ lineup ahead of trade deadline?

The Nets posted a 0-7 record with the NBA’s worst defensive rating (128.5) during that span. They’ve improved dramatically following Thomas’ injury, posting a 7-12 record over their last 19 games while ranking 14th in defensive rating (113.5). Michael Porter Jr. and Noah Clowney have turned in breakout offensive stretches in that time, while rookies Egor Demin, Drake Powell and Danny Wolf have shown promise.

Thomas’ future with Brooklyn is very much in question after he declined a contract extension and signed his qualifying offer this summer. The former first-round pick will be an unrestricted free agent this coming offseason and has a no-trade clause this season. Given this and the Nets’ improvement following his injury, it’s unclear where he would fit into the rotation upon his return.

Brooklyn is attempting to find minutes for an NBA-record five rookie first-round picks. Fernandez recently acknowledged the Nets’ improved play following Thomas’ injury. The coach said it would be on him “to figure out how to reintroduce Thomas into the group.”

The Nets are likely to explore the trade market for Thomas leading up to the Feb. 5 deadline. Whether he takes the court for them before then, and how the team utilizes him if so, will be a storyline to monitor in the coming weeks.

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