Nets' Cam Thomas to Return vs. Timberwolves

After weeks away from the court, having missed 20 games due to a hamstring injury, Cam Thomas will return to action for the Brooklyn Nets.

According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Thomas will play in tomorrow's road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Head coach Jordi Fernandez told Nets media on Friday that the shooting guard has been cleared for contact and returned to full practice.

Thomas suffered an injury on the same hamstring that kept him out for 57 games last season. He went down on Nov. 5 in a win over the Indiana Pacers. Since then, Brooklyn has gone 8-12, having rattled off a 6-3 December record with the league's top defensive rating (102.8).

Thomas averaged 21.4 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game across eight games before the injury. He's shooting 40.2% from the field and 35.6% from three this season, in one where his next contract looms.

After an offseason in which he and his camp declined two offers from the Nets as a restricted free agency, Thomas settled for the $6 million qualifying offer and a no-trade clause, now set to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026.

However, trade rumors have still swirled with the 24-year-old sidelined. Brooklyn could find a suitor, but the deadline to get a deal done sits a little over a month away, and the Nets are likely to find an empty market for Thomas.

Despite averaging over 20 points per game across the last few years, there are questions regarding Thomas's ability to contribute outside of pure scoring. The NBA has enough players who can get buckets, and the 6-foot-3 guard has struggled with inefficiency as of late. Many are also concerned with defense and playmaking, two skills that can contribute to winning basketball.

With 54 games left in the season, there is still plenty of time for Thomas to prove himself worthy of a lucrative contract. The Nets have clinched a winning record for December, but they're still 9-19, in the hunt for a top draft pick in 2026. Brooklyn will have some added offense in the form of its homegrown star, but will this affect the flow of Fernandez's system?

Another question is how Thomas's return will take away from the Nets' current rotation. Rookies such as Egor Demin, Danny Wolf and Drake Powell have been taking advantage of minutes this season, while Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf are staying ready, bouncing between Brooklyn and the Nets' G League affiliate in Long Island.