Fantasy outlook for the Brooklyn Nets in 2024-25
Photo by Andrew Lahodynskyj/NBAE via Getty Images
Sometimes fantasy can be dark and that holds true for the Nets this season. Collin Helwig gives you some hints on where to place your bets. Most basketball fans are starving for NBA action right now as we plunge deeper into the dog days of summer — but those hailing from Brooklyn are more likely to slouch into their chairs and poke at their food once it arrives in October.
Prematurely, but void of any reasonable doubt, the jury is out on the Brooklyn Nets, deliberating how dee of a lottery team they’ll be in the 2024-25 season. After regaining control of their first round picks and sending Mikal Bridges across the river, the team’s choice to prioritize long-term success at the expense of the immediate finally became clear. Brooklyn firmly planted their rebuild seeds — and while there’s reason to look forward to the future — this is shaping up to be a year where you stare at a pot of wet dirt, not one you see something sprout up.
Analogies aside, there will still be a few reasons to tune in when the Nets tip things off in Atlanta on October 22 and so on. The die-hards will — well, die hard. But beyond that, there are several Nets worth monitoring if you partake in fantasy basketball.
Fantasy hoops undoubtedly plays little brother to the gridiron version of the game, but that’s a role Nets fans should learn to appreciate, at least for the time being, after trading Bridges to the Knicks. If you’re a Nets fan looking to get involved, take note of the following.
Cam Thomas could be worth a Top-40 Overall Pick
If you catch anyone hyping up the Nets ahead this season, odds are they started their “hear me out” monologue with the Bayou Bucket Cam Thomas. CT’s brand of basketball as a natural-born scorer makes him an easy target in fantasy drafts. If anything, he’s illustrated the ability to put the ball through the cylinder no matter how many defenders come his way.
That skill will be important once the regular season begins as defenses will be quick to key in on Thomas with Bridges gone and little-to-no other offensive creators on the team. But at the same time, there lies another factor arguing his worth as a mid-round fantasy pick.
Given the team makeup, it’s hard to image anyone taking a significant amount of shots away from Thomas this year — except for those created by Thomas himself following the doubles that are certain to come his way.
Thomas has the skill to put up significant fantasy points, and more importantly, the shot volume too given his team’s limited options outside of him. Expect him to take more shots than the more talked about picks at the two-guard spot like Jalen Green, RJ Barrett, Bradley Beal, and Derrick White next year — which will undoubtedly raise his fantasy ceiling.
While Thomas won’t reel in many points as a rebounder, his scoring should be able to carry him as a result of that volume. As a plus, Thomas also illustrated significant growth as a passer last year with his assists per game increasing from 2.4 per game from October to January to 3.7 per game from January on. That, along with the volume, and shot-making abilities all have the potential to take him over the top.
It’s also worth mentioning that Thomas’s greatest deficiencies come at the defensive end — which has a fraction of the implications in fantasy basketball compared to actual basketball. You essentially get all of the good from Thomas in a fantasy setting and none of the not-so-good.
RotoWire via NBA.com has Thomas ranked as its 56th best fantasy player going into the upcoming season, but judging Thomas’s statistical ceiling isn’t something I’d trust to many national fantasy writers. His averages have been nerfed over the years due to coaching changes, lineup variations, and flat-out benchings. With the Nets having a clear direction this year, I doubt any of that persists. We’ll get full-fledged Cam Thomas and anyone who’s actually watched him play knows that’s something special.
A Nod to Nic Claxton
Like Thomas, Nic Claxton stands to benefit from what I like to call Brooklyn’s “opportunistic” roster. Brooklyn’s defensive dynamo sneakily finished with the 52nd most fantasy points last year via the ESPN scoring model. That was the best by any currently rostered Net.
Clax gets it done in a more diverse manner than Thomas, mainly bringing points and rebounds to the table. He’s also among the league’s top shot blockers. Last year, Claxton finished with with the eighth most rejections, swatting 146, which in some leagues can render you four fantasy points each.
Without too many other options, there’s no reason to expect a drop off in that production from Claxton this coming season. There will be ample room his him to “get his” minus Bridges on both ends of the floor. He’s also inching closer to the prime of his career at 25 years old and attached to a shiny, four-year contract he signed a few weeks ago.
Given his position as a big man, his ceiling stoops a bit lower than Thomas’ but you could also argue he has a higher floor given his wider skillset. Don’t be afraid to take Clax in the latter rounds of your draft.
Schröder and Simmons are Sleepers
Drafting Ben Simmons in fantasy is an act likely to get you ripped apart in your group chat. The Aussie hasn’t played consistent and impactful basketball in almost three years now. You’re better off taking a flier on a rookie in the latter rounds than Ben10.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t monitor him as an early waiver target.
Perhaps the only thing going for Simmons is his persistent ceiling as a former three-time All-Star who’s still just 28-years-old. With every injury — there’s a sliver of hope that persists, arguing he could be good again one day simply because there’s still a lot of track in front of him.
When it comes to fantasy basketball, that and his basketball skillset being as diverse as they come is enough to warrant him a spot on your bench if he logs a few weeks of healthy basketball to begin the 2024-25 season.
But when the injury bug inevitably does bite into Simmons, expect Dennis Schröder to take most of his minutes and role as the starting point man. Amid an up-and-down season that started in Toronto, Schröder finished with the 77th most fantasy points last year — really only making him an option for teams in deeper leagues.
But that was likely for lack of opportunity than anything. We know what Schröder can do with minutes. He averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.5 boards per game playing a larger role in Brooklyn compared to 13.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per contest in The Six. That would have put him nicely as 69th highest fantasy producer this past year.
Neither he nor Simmons warrant significant investment from a fantasy standpoint, but again, that’s not what I’m suggesting. Just keep an eye on both.
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