Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas shone as both a scorer and playmaker in the first half of their preseason game against the Phoenix Suns at The Venetian Arena, Macau, on Friday. Thomas’ exploits led to the Nets putting on an offensive clinic, and we asked head coach Jordi Fernandez how good this offense can be when he’s being a scorer and facilitator, before the second game against the Suns on Sunday.
“I think the sky is the limit,” Fernandez said. “CT makes us a team that is really hard to guard when he playmakes and scores at the same time because if you put two on the ball, he’s going to make the right pass, and if you give him space, he’s gonna score. And that’s how much he impacts the game.
“At scoring, this league’s got a lot of talent and a lot of players that can score,” Fernandez added. “But CT can really score, and he can also playmake at a really high level. And he showed it especially in the first half [against the Suns], and now the challenge is, can we do it into the second half?
“So, I got to do a better job of helping him and helping the group, but that’s another opportunity to do it against a very physical team,” Fernandez concluded.
Jordi Fernandez on how good this @BrooklynNets offense can be when Cam Thomas shines as a scorer and playmaker.
“I think the sky is the limit.” pic.twitter.com/dChsLQbFgz
— Fadeaway World (@FadeawayWorld) October 12, 2025
The Nets had racked up 71 points in the first half of that first game against the Suns. Thomas had 18 points and six assists at the break and had that offense running ever so smoothly. The assists completely dried up in the third quarter, though, and that contributed to the team scoring just 13 points in the period.
The Nets had entered the third quarter up 71-59, and by the time it was over, they were down 89-84. What was once an 18-point lead had vanished, and they would go on to lose 132-127 in overtime.
Thomas finished the game with 22 points (7-12 FG), three rebounds, six assists, and one steal. We asked him after the game if he was going to be a bit more of a playmaker this season, and that won’t necessarily be the case.
Thomas, who averaged 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game in 2024-25, made it clear he is a scorer at heart, and the assists went down in the second game against the Suns. He put up 16 points (4-12 FG), four rebounds, one assist, and one block, but the Nets won 111-109. Still, the recipe for success is definitely that first game.
Also, playing in that manner might get Thomas the big contract he desires. He and the Nets were unable to agree on a new multi-year deal this summer, which led to him accepting the $6 million qualifying offer.
Thomas is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 and you’d think he would be a more appealing option for teams if he were scoring and playmaking at a high level. We’ll wait and see how his situation pans out.
Thomas and the Nets play their final preseason game next against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Friday at 7 PM ET.
