After Zeng Signing, Nets Have One Roster Spot Left—Likely Reserved for Cam Thomas

Following last night's signing of CBA star Fanbo Zeng, the Brooklyn Nets have just one roster spot remaining. Brooklyn can carry 21 players into training camp, and Zeng just became the 20th. In any other scenario, this wouldn't mean much. However...

The pressure is now on for the Nets to figure out what Cam Thomas' future with the team is

Or Brooklyn risks being forced to part ways with someone that it was actually intrigued by. Theoretically, the Nets could bring in one more player—not named Thomas—and cut ties with one of the Two-Way guys or even Zeng, although his signing wouldn't make much sense if the franchise isn't going to give him a real opportunity.

So re-signing Thomas is, without a doubt, the smartest and most realistic play. Either compromising on a long-term number or coming to an agreement that Thomas will spend the 2025-26 season on the qualifying offer would solidify Brooklyn's roster well ahead of training camp.

It seems like a foregone conclusion that, assuming he does in fact come back, Thomas would get that final spot. This likely also signals the end of Reece Beekman's short tenure with the Nets. Beekman, 23, landed in Brooklyn last season as part of December's Dennis Schroder trade. He was a Two-Way guard who saw more playing time towards the end of the season, but after he joined the Denver Nuggets for summer league on top of Zeng's addition, it seems his time in Kings County is over.

So if Thomas is a shoo-in for the final spot, who won't make it through camp?

Brooklyn is going to have some incredibly difficult decisions it's forced to make. The five-man incoming draft class has certainly complicated things, possibly to the point where the Nets have to move on from players they'd prefer to continue developing. Guys like Tosan Evbuomwan, Tyson Etienne or even Drew Timme may lose their roster spots depending on how camp unfolds.

Remember, the Nets can only have 15 players on the active roster and three on Two-Way deals. Those Two-Ways are currently filled by Evbuomwan, Etienne and Timme—but are subject to change.

Of course, there could be a complete breakdown in talks with Thomas, where he and Brooklyn opt to go their separate ways. This would change the entire outlook of the 2025-26 roster, and allow the Nets to really get creative in terms of personnel.

Unlikely, but not impossible.