Ben Simmons amongst 3 Nets gamers with most to show throughout 2024-25 season

The Brooklyn Nets will likely be extra involved with lottery odds than wins this season. Common supervisor Sean Marks abruptly pivoted to a rebuild this summer season, resetting his group’s timeline with an eye fixed on the 2025 draft. Nevertheless, a number of of Brooklyn’s gamers have a lot to play for, whether or not it’s contracts, commerce enchantment or delight.

Listed below are the three Nets with probably the most to show through the 2024-25 marketing campaign.

3. Ziaire Williams

Ziaire Williams is amongst a number of younger, bounceback prospects the Nets took a flier on this offseason. Brooklyn acquired the 23-year-old and a second-round decide for Mamadi Diakite in a cost-cutting transfer by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Williams by no means caught on with the Grizzlies after they chose him tenth total within the 2021 draft. At 6-foot-9 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan and explosive athleticism, he has the instruments of a high-level wing defender. Nevertheless, he struggled to develop his offensive sport whereas battling accidents in Memphis, taking pictures 42.6 p.c from the sector and 30.1 p.c from three over three seasons.

After enjoying one faculty season at Standford, Williams was a uncooked prospect when he joined the Grizzlies, who had been making an attempt to take care of Ja Morant. He’ll now have an opportunity to lean into his growth for a Nets group with zero expectations.

The ahead is coming into the ultimate yr of his rookie contract. If he can enhance his exterior shot and add instruments to his offensive sport, he’ll be an extension candidate for the Nets subsequent summer season.

Cam Thomas has been a polarizing participant since his LSU days. Regardless of main the nation’s freshmen in scoring throughout his lone faculty season, he fell to twenty seventh within the 2021 draft resulting from issues about his measurement, playmaking and protection. Whereas he had moments of scoring brilliance, he spent most of his first two NBA seasons on Brooklyn’s bench.

Thomas lastly cracked the Nets’ rotation final season and emerged because the group’s main scorer (22.5 factors per sport). The 22-year-old took steps in different features of his sport, averaging 4.0 assists over two months late within the yr. He improved as an off-ball risk, taking pictures a career-high 43.6 p.c on catch-and-shoot threes. And whereas nobody would mistake him for a plus defender, his effort on that finish of the ground has trended in the appropriate course.

Regardless of this, opinions of Thomas are scattershot amongst NBA executives, one thing I mentioned with the New York Publish’s Brian Lewis on my Bleav in Nets podcast.

“With Cam Thomas, there isn’t a baseline [in opinions],” Lewis stated. “Some scouts suppose he walks on water. They love him. Others would not contact him with a ten-foot pole. They need no a part of him. It doesn’t matter what he is getting paid, they do not need any a part of him. I’ve by no means seen a participant like this, frankly… There is no such thing as a form of settlement between scouts or entrance workplace personnel about what’s worth is in the marketplace or how good of a participant he might be.”

Getting into the ultimate yr of his rookie contract, Thomas will step right into a lead offensive function this season. Whereas he’ll shoulder an immense burden as Brooklyn’s solely high-level shot creator, he’ll should proceed growing the supporting features of his sport if he hopes to shed the “microwave scorer” label. Doing so might go a great distance towards growing his market worth subsequent offseason when he is anticipated to hit restricted free company.

Ben Simmons’ look on this checklist would not want a lot rationalization. The three-time All-Star is coming into the ultimate season of a five-year, $177 million contract. Calling his NBA future past this season “unsure” could be placing it flippantly.

Simmons has not made a major NBA contribution since his meltdown through the Philadelphia 76ers’ second-round loss to the Atlanta Hawks in 2021. He is been unable to remain on the ground whereas battling again accidents and psychological well being points, showing in 57 of 254 complete video games during the last three seasons.

When on the ground, his offensive passivity has continued to pattern within the flawed course. He is been unwilling to assault the basket, trying 72 free throws over his 57 appearances (1.3 per sport) and changing solely 31 (43.1 p.c). The previous No. 1 decide’s area objective makes an attempt per 36 minutes have decreased each season of his NBA profession, per Basketball Reference.

Till the 28-year-old can regain the aggressive, downhill mindset that made him a pressure throughout his All-Star seasons, he can’t play a function function for a playoff group.

Simmons has attributed his lack of aggressiveness to nagging again accidents. He is undergone two surgical procedures on bulging discs within the final two years, the second of which got here in Could. Nevertheless, he stated he’s one hundred pc at this yr’s coaching camp. Simmons drew rave evaluations this offseason from famend NBA coach Chris Brickley, who stated the Aussie is “again to enjoying at an All-Star stage.”

However three seasons faraway from his All-Star days, the offseason hype trains don’t have any which means. If Simmons hopes to revitalize his profession, he should show his worth on the courtroom.