The Brooklyn Nets were somehow better than they were anticipating. As Cam Thomas continued his brand of unbelievably incendiary scoring, the team wound up winning 26 games, good for 12th in the Eastern Conference.
After the Kevin Durant-James Harden-Kyrie Irving experiment did not work out, general manager Sean Marks was clear in his desire to rebuild patiently through the draft. With a top pick out of the question, the Nets could still walk away with a potential offensive stud in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Brooklyn Nets Find Frontcourt Running Mate for Cam Thomas
Outside of Thomas, the Brooklyn offense was far from a stable one, finishing with the third-worst offensive rating in the league; their lack of production outside of their star guard was a real problem throughout the year.
But, even at the eighth slot, Sterling Xie of PFSN believes the Nets could find an offensive juggernaut and one of the best players during March Madness, Derik Queen. An undersized freshman center, Queen has impeccable versatility that has Xie singing his praises.
“Derik Queen has seen his stock rise throughout the pre-draft process, to the point where the Maryland big looks like a clear lottery pick. At 6’10” and 246 pounds, Queen has an NBA-ready body for any frontcourt, along with advanced handles and a soft touch around the rim.”
While his defense is suspect, the offensive game is too good to ignore. “The freshman averaged 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, shooting 56% on 2-point field goal attempts.” However, the real upside lies in his ability to potentially become a three-level scorer.
“His jumper showed signs of improvement down the stretch, and his mobility means that he shouldn’t be a total liability on defense due to his ability to move with ball-handlers in the spread pick-and-roll game.”
What made Queen a household name was their run through March Madness. Suiting up in three games, he tallied 12 points and 15 rebounds in the first round, before dropping 17 against CSU in the second.
Despite their loss to the Florida Gators in the Sweet 16, Queen was a standout for the Terrapins in the game, as he totaled 27 points on just 17 shot attempts, while knocking down all 10 of his free throw attempts.
“Queen is only 20 years old, so it’s a good sign that he’s already able to hang his hat on interior scoring and rebounding. The Nets have a bigger paint-bound center in Nic Claxton, who could provide some of the rim protection that Queen might not supply and make for a well-rounded frontcourt duo.”
Of course, Claxton could always be moved, with trade rumors linking him to the Los Angeles Lakers running roughshod ever since their elimination in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. Queen, then, could become their long-term answer down low, at least on the offensive side of the ball.
