Cam Thomas‘ decision to sign his one-year qualifying offer (worth nearly $6MM) was a reflection of the fact that he didn’t receive much external interest as a restricted free agent this summer, numerous scouts and league executives told Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
According to Lewis, Thomas has “fans at the highest level in the Nets front office,” but the team clearly wasn’t willing to bid against itself and evidently wasn’t comfortable offering the 23-year-old a long-term deal.
As Lewis writes, there’s risk for both sides now that Thomas is back under contract. From Brooklyn’s perspective, Thomas has an implied no-trade clause, meaning he would have to approve any deal during the 2025/26 season — if that happens, the team that acquires him would only have his Non-Bird rights.
Thomas, meanwhile, reportedly sacrificed short-term money to keep that built-in no-trade clause. General manager Sean Marks targeted multiple play-making guards during the draft, Lewis notes, and the Nets may prioritize their development over more shots for Thomas.
“On a team that’s not trying to win and doesn’t care, if he signs the qualifying offer he runs the risk they don’t feature him after October,” a league source had told The Post before the move. “A team that isn’t trying to win, you’re stuck.”
According to Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron (Substack link), the Nets will be approximately $7MM below the 2025/26 minimum salary floor if they re-sign Ziaire Williams to the same two-year, $12.5MM contract that Day’Ron Sharpe received and waive a few of their non-guaranteed deals before the season begins. That would put Brooklyn in a good position to add assets in another salary-dump deal before the season begins, but a major trade appears unlikely.
Gozlan hears Sharpe will earn $6.25MM each of the next two seasons. As previously reported, the contract features a second-year team option, so it’s only guaranteed for ’25/26.
Nets will sign Williams. He can still make it pay it off.
Cam will get traded during season. Someone needs a scorer now. They can give their 2025 pick or a young talent. Nets don’t need to keep him around. Also there is no rush to move him. Nets are in full rebuild.
I don’t think Thomas will get traded during the season. He has to approve any deal, and whichever team acquires him wouldn’t have his Bird rights. He’ll most likely finish out the season and then enter free agency, hoping for a sign-and-trade when more teams have cap space.
The team that wants him knows they have to sign him. Or they can just keep him for a year. There will be takers.
He will not get traded during the season. He will block it. After the season, the Nets could engage in a sign and trade if he finds another taker.
If a team he wants to go to. Is willing to sign him. Why wouldn’t he go. He wants to get paid and have an opportunity to play. He doesn’t need to wait till end of year. Fact is he is available. And teams know what it will take. Nets can’t sign-trade him now. He is on a QO. Means the only way they get something for him. Is to trade him before TD.
They can sign and trade him after the season.
Nets should put in an offer to Kuminga that puts the Warriors in a bind to match. He will have trade value for them.
Nets could of signed Kuminga and Giddey awhile back. I said it. I definitely would have signed Giddey. Time has passed now. Next year they will have plenty cap space.