ATLANTA — Cam Thomas spent Monday watching Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes and Franz Wagner all land maximum $224 million rookie extensions.
Lots of his other 2021 draft classmates got nine-figure deals as well.
Despite being Brooklyn’s leading scorer last season, Thomas wasn’t given an extension from the Nets, as The Post has reported.
However the guard insists his attention isn’t on becoming a restricted free agent at the top of the season, but getting a win in Atlanta to begin it.
“Just on the brink of play the Atlanta Hawks [on Wednesday]. So, that’s all I’m focused on,” Thomas said. “I don’t really care about all the additional stuff. Just apprehensive about attempting to get a win on Wednesday.”
Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams had all been eligible for rookie extensions but none got one. The end result was expected, predictable enough that coach Jordi Fernandez didn’t feel the necessity to seek advice from Thomas on the matter.
“Yeah, conversations have been great. I feel he’s in a superb place, and I didn’t see anything that I should go and seek advice from him about it, the way in which he feels,” Fernandez said. “I feel he’s been great. He’s done his job, and we’ve got a transparent path and direction for what we’re attempting to do.”
Thomas had a troublesome night in his last trip to Atlanta, on Dec. 6 last season. He went in averaging a stellar 26.1 points but was held to simply six points on 3-for-10 shooting with five turnovers and only one assist. It had been just his third game back from a sprained ankle, and Thomas didn’t expect the defensive attention he got that night from the Hawks. He was still a part-time starter and the Nets hadn’t drilled for those blitzes.
But with Mikal Bridges gone and Thomas the unquestioned point of interest of the offense, he’ll be at the highest of each scouting report against the Nets.
“[The lesson was] just that they might blitz me. I didn’t know they might blitz me getting back from injury. We never really worked on that, never repped it as a team back then,” Thomas said. “But now, I’m more prepared, just sort of expecting it. So, it must be a a lot better end result for me and the team.”
the 76ers. NBAE via Getty Images
Starting center Nic Claxton is anticipated to be available Wednesday, after having missed all 4 preseason games.
The one Nets expected to miss the season opener are Sharpe (hamstring), Trendon Watford (hamstring) and Bojan Bogdanovic (surgery recovery).
Hawks star Trae Young averaged 36.5 points in two games against the Nets last season, his second-highest against any team besides the Spurs.
“He’s the top of the snake,” Fernandez said. “He’s a really, excellent player, so he deserves all that respect. … At the top of the day, we’re going to do what we do: ball pressure, physicality, and we’re going to indicate it from the primary minute.”
ATLANTA — Cam Thomas spent Monday watching Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes and Franz Wagner all land maximum $224 million rookie extensions.
Lots of his other 2021 draft classmates got nine-figure deals as well.
Despite being Brooklyn’s leading scorer last season, Thomas wasn’t given an extension from the Nets, as The Post has reported.
However the guard insists his attention isn’t on becoming a restricted free agent at the top of the season, but getting a win in Atlanta to begin it.
“Just on the brink of play the Atlanta Hawks [on Wednesday]. So, that’s all I’m focused on,” Thomas said. “I don’t really care about all the additional stuff. Just apprehensive about attempting to get a win on Wednesday.”
Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams had all been eligible for rookie extensions but none got one. The end result was expected, predictable enough that coach Jordi Fernandez didn’t feel the necessity to seek advice from Thomas on the matter.
“Yeah, conversations have been great. I feel he’s in a superb place, and I didn’t see anything that I should go and seek advice from him about it, the way in which he feels,” Fernandez said. “I feel he’s been great. He’s done his job, and we’ve got a transparent path and direction for what we’re attempting to do.”
Thomas had a troublesome night in his last trip to Atlanta, on Dec. 6 last season. He went in averaging a stellar 26.1 points but was held to simply six points on 3-for-10 shooting with five turnovers and only one assist. It had been just his third game back from a sprained ankle, and Thomas didn’t expect the defensive attention he got that night from the Hawks. He was still a part-time starter and the Nets hadn’t drilled for those blitzes.
But with Mikal Bridges gone and Thomas the unquestioned point of interest of the offense, he’ll be at the highest of each scouting report against the Nets.
“[The lesson was] just that they might blitz me. I didn’t know they might blitz me getting back from injury. We never really worked on that, never repped it as a team back then,” Thomas said. “But now, I’m more prepared, just sort of expecting it. So, it must be a a lot better end result for me and the team.”
the 76ers. NBAE via Getty Images
Starting center Nic Claxton is anticipated to be available Wednesday, after having missed all 4 preseason games.
The one Nets expected to miss the season opener are Sharpe (hamstring), Trendon Watford (hamstring) and Bojan Bogdanovic (surgery recovery).
Hawks star Trae Young averaged 36.5 points in two games against the Nets last season, his second-highest against any team besides the Spurs.
“He’s the top of the snake,” Fernandez said. “He’s a really, excellent player, so he deserves all that respect. … At the top of the day, we’re going to do what we do: ball pressure, physicality, and we’re going to indicate it from the primary minute.”
