Nets face major backcourt reset with youth, Cam Thomas usage looming

The Nets’ roster churn has left their backcourt wide open. According to ESPN’s Zach Kram, via GeniusIQ tracking data, six players averaged at least three minutes of possession per game for Brooklyn last season.

Five of them — Dennis Schroder, D’Angelo Russell, Ben Simmons, Killian Hayes and Trendon Watford — are gone. So is Cameron Johnson, who was second on the team in scoring.

Michael Porter Jr. should replace some of Johnson’s shotmaking, but he’s not a creator. That leaves a giant hole in ballhandling and playmaking, and plenty of minutes for the Nets’ young guards to figure it out on the fly.

That means rookie growing pains — lots of them. Brooklyn just drafted a record five first-rounders, and they will be asked to contribute right away.

It also means Cam Thomas, assuming he re-signs as a restricted free agent, could post an outrageous usage rate.

He was already at 32.6 percent last season, ranking right behind Paolo Banchero and Cade Cunningham. With fewer options around him, that number could climb even higher.

The big question is whether that approach leads to development or disaster.

Either way, the Nets’ offense is about to look a lot different.