Mar 8, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) looks on during a break against the Charlotte Hornets during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Nets Prospect Watch: Brooklyn's Dilemma at No. 8

Originally posted on Brooklyn Nets on SI | By Jed Katz | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 6:02 PM ET

With four first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets have all the freedom in the world with a league-high five selections. However, the first pick coming at No. 8 isn't exactly what fans and the organization hoped for. It brings up a dilemma centered around two things: big boards and free agency.

Of course, any team would have loved to land Cooper Flagg at No. 1, or even Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, and VJ Edgecombe within the top four. However, the Nets are forced to settle for B-tier lottery talent at No. 8, unless a trade goes down ahead of draft night.

Players projected in Brooklyn's range include Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma), Tre Johnson (Texas), and Kon Knueppel (Duke). These prospects certainly have the potential to lead the franchise into the future, but it isn't quite a Flagg, Harper, or Bailey.

The reason Brooklyn faces a potential dilemma is because of who is projected in that pick range. It creates a crossroads for the Nets, centered around Cam Thomas, their star scorer.

As much as Thomas has been elite for the Brooklyn Nets over the last two seasons, putting up incredible scoring numbers, the team has stayed stagnant. The Nets have suffered seasons in which they aren't at the very bottom of the NBA, but rather just outside of the Play-In Tournament, sitting in the mid lottery.

The fact of the matter is that although the roster isn't great, Thomas doesn't impact winning with his style of play. He puts up incredible surface-level scoring numbers on subpar efficiency, while his playmaking and defense still lack for him to be considered among the league's best.

Combine this with his free agency, and Brooklyn could move on from the 23-year-old. He fits better as the third scoring option on a contender, rather than the center of a rebuild. With the Nets having no true positional needs heading into the draft, Thomas' replacement could be selected in the form of Fears or Johnson.

A Jeremiah Fears and Cam Thomas backcourt does not work.

If their plan is to draft Jeremiah Fears, it must mean they are clearly not investing long-term into Cam Thomas. pic.twitter.com/niFvdWLzkh
— Brooklyn Netcast (@BrooklynNetcast) June 7, 2025

If the Nets select a player who doesn't need to score in isolation to be effective, like Knueppel or Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois), then Thomas could continue to thrive in Brooklyn next to its lottery pick. However, picking a score-first guard in the draft means the Nets need to decide who they want to have the ball in their hands: Thomas or the No. 8 pick?

This article first appeared on Brooklyn Nets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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