4 Biggest disappointments of Nets’ season to this point

Injuries, losses and uncertainty at the core of a franchise will always lead to a collection of disappointments in the NBA, no matter how hard a team fights.

Brooklyn knows this all too well — from All-Star weekend festivities to injury updates and ping-pong balls, disappointing circumstances continue to surface from the borough. 

Just look back at last weekend… 

Cam Johnson’s 3PT Contest

Struggles are mildly understandable given it was Johnson’s first NBA 3-Point Contest appearance, and he was the first shooter up, but that doesn’t make his performance any less disappointing. Tied for the lowest score of the night, Johnson posted 14 points in his first-round run after missing 12 of his first 17 shots. Disappointment in elimination was imminent for the Nets forward, whose spotlight never even got warm, as first-time All-Star and Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro ultimately went on to win the competition.

Cam Thomas’ hamstring injury

Through 55 games, Thomas has entered just 19 overall with 17 total starts, averaging 24.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest. A left hamstring strain has relegated Thomas to the sidelines for months at a time during this campaign, leaving fans, the organization and likely Thomas himself uncertain how to project his Nets future.

While Thomas' lack of court time has been one of the season’s most disappointing developments, his eventual return is also one of the most interesting reasons to watch the rest of the way. Thomas is notably playing out a $4 million team option heading into this offseason. 

Current NBA Draft Lottery status 

Following the trades of Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith, it felt like the Nets were ready to abandon ship and swim toward the top-five NBA Draft Lottery odds. Instead, Brooklyn is now 6-4 over its last 10 games and 1.5 out from a play-in spot. With currently the seventh-best odds (8.2%) to win the No. 1 overall pick and a 34.5 percent chance of landing inside the top four, the Nets disappointingly may not land as high as anyone would like.

Fortunately for Brooklyn, four first-round selections in this draft alone could potentially help the franchise move into position for that Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe-type of elite prospect in the class. 

Waiting for the offseason...

Countless unknowns exist for the Nets going forward, clouding most of the excitement that could be taken from this season. Even if Brooklyn makes the play-in, how much does it mean when the entire outlook of the organization could change with the seasons? Will some of this endless draft capital get packaged for a superstar? What’s the 2025 draft strategy with so many selections? How much of an impact can the rookie(s) actually make?

Is D’Angelo Russel staying in Brooklyn? Will Cam Johnson be a part of the team’s long-term plans? Is Nic Claxton worth the commitment made? Does Sean Marks want to lock down Cam Thomas, too? Which other young talents can make the cut on a new-look Nets squad next season? 

Only time will tell.