12:02 pm: Thomas has officially signed his qualifying offer, the Nets announced (via Twitter).
6:59 am: Nets restricted free agent Cam Thomas has decided to sign his one-year qualifying offer worth just under $6MM to return to the team, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Reporting since late July indicated that Brooklyn was willing to give Thomas a multiyear deal but that the team wasn’t going beyond two years at roughly $14-15MM per season, with a second-year team option. According to Charania, the Nets also proposed a one-year, $9.5MM contract that could have been worth up to $11MM in incentives, but it would’ve required Thomas to waive his right to veto a trade.
Rather than accepting either of those team-friendly proposals, Thomas will take his chances on a more modest one-year contract that will give him a de facto no-trade clause for the 2025/26 season and will put him on track to become an unrestricted free agent next July.
As Charania points out, while the Nets were the only team to enter this offseason with significant cap room, there could be 10 or more cap-space teams in 2026, creating more options on the open market for a free agent like Thomas.
The 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft out of LSU, Thomas has increased his scoring average in each of his four NBA seasons and put up career highs of 24.0 points and 3.8 assists per game in 2024/25.
However, he was limited to just 25 games last season due to hamstring issues and has been up and down from an efficiency standpoint, with career averages of 43.9% from the floor and 34.9% on three-pointers. He’s also not considered an above-average defender.
As talented as Thomas is as a scorer, his shortcomings in other areas limited his appeal in restricted free agency, and the Nets’ favorable cap position allowed the team to play hardball in negotiations. Having agreed to re-sign other free agents like Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams to contracts that aren’t guaranteed beyond 2025/26, Brooklyn was clearly prioritizing its ability to maintain cap flexibility next offseason and wasn’t interested in making a longer-term commitment to the 23-year-old at this time.
If Thomas plays out the 2025/26 season with the Nets, the team will maintain his Bird rights entering next summer. However, if he approves a trade to another club before February’s deadline, his Bird rights wouldn’t go with him — that’s presumably the reason why he turned down Brooklyn’s one-year, $9.5MM offer, which would’ve required him to essentially “pre-approve” a trade. Even if the Nets decide not to re-sign Thomas next July, his Bird rights could be useful in sign-and-trade scenarios.
If Thomas OKs a trade during the season, his new team would have his Non-Bird rights and wouldn’t be able to offer him a starting salary higher than about $7.2MM (120% of his previous salary) next offseason without using cap room or another cap exception.
The Nets will actually open up some cap room as a result of Thomas signing his qualifying offer, since the team had been carrying a cap hold of approximately $12MM for him — that cap hit will be cut in half once he officially puts pen to paper, creating an extra $6MM in spending flexibility for Brooklyn.
Thomas was one of four notable restricted free agents around the NBA whose situation remained unresolved as of Labor Day. We can probably expect resolution for Josh Giddey (Bulls), Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors), and Quentin Grimes (Sixers) at some point this month, since they face an October 1 deadline for accepting their own qualifying offers.
Note to the Warriors….disaster. Not getting nothing. And I don’t believe the hindering his value elsewhere talk as much as I believe the we’ve offered this and that BS leaks in the media.
Disaster is right. Now what?
I believe I have a good feeling for where this stands. I’ve been following the blow-by-blow since the end of the season via the Kawakami, Slater, and Marcus Thompson podcasts (“plus one”) and articles. They’ve had ongoing dialog with Dunleavey, and Slater seems to have an open channel to Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner. They all joke that they talk about the Kuminga situation every single week. Here goes:
Warriors had given Kuminga and Turner the opportunity to find a sign and trade at the beginning of the summer, and that needed to play out to satisfy Kuminga, even though Lacob and Dunleavey weren’t going for it under any conditions. But Dunleavey and Turner were still negotiating actively in late June.
How did we get to the QO being a real, if not likely, outcome? In late June, the situation took a downward turn when Kerr, on his own initiative, did a podcast with Kawakami where he effectively said that he didn’t see a future for Kuminga on the Warriors. Dunleavey immediately called a press conference to try to clean it up, as did Draymond. But the hugely negative exposure across national media was taken very badly by Kuminga personally, prompting his own video and interview with Slater. Then he dropped the QO bomb.
Slater reported, based on discussions with Turner and GSW front office, that negotiations restarted in early August with Kuminga’s camp taking a revised position:
– Kuminga will accept less than his market value if Theother term are met
– a contract must show GSW is committed to giving Kuminga a chance to succeed, as opposed to.using him as a “pawn” (that’s the word they use)
– 2nd year guaranteed with player control on trades
– player, not team, option, after 2 years at a significant step up
In other words, “give me a contract that shows you will give me a fair shot for 2 years AND the right to veto trades to teams I don’t want to play for… otherwise, I sign the QO.”
OK, so the “qualifying offer” it is if what you’re writing here is correct.
I think he’s not smart to do that just to be a UFA next year (7.9) instead of being a UFA next year (21.5) with the possibility of being a UFA the year after (another 21.5)
Gonna be crazy to see how this works out.
Here’s where I differ from you: no way Lakob lets Kuminga sign the QO. Same with Giddey in Chicago.
Everyone in the league (including owners) knows the market this year is artificially depressed. Laugh if you want, but in competitive bidding, Kuminga won’t have a problem making $28/yr. That’s less than the Warriors offered him last year. $24M/yr is buying low.
the warriors did offer Kumionga. the BS is Kuminga agent claiming he didn’t ask for a max deal last year when he did.
@arc89. They never asked for the max. Why would they lie. Nobody from the Warriors has ever said that and no local Warriors reporter has ever said that.
Actually last year, it was reported from his agent he was looking for the max (per Jake Fischer) … probably to start talks but it’s not like people didn’t make it up LOL
yes it was reported his agents LAST year turned down a $100 million contract asking for a max deal. This is last off season before the money was used to get Butler. It was all over 95.7 the game.
Do you know that NBA teams have scouts? They have watched Kuminga for 5 years now. I don’t think they rely on the media for player evaluation. They see how every player.
Disaster? He wasn’t exactly a huge contributor.
Disaster because he’s the only player left on the team with any trade value. No Kuminga means we can’t improve the roster.
Some folks have short memories. Who was W’s beat player by far in second round. Like 22 point in 30 mins per game. 55% from field. Only player that could defend AntMan. 22 years old. We were in all those games even though Kerr failed to play him enough to win.
Short term memory? You are pointing to two games. Did you forget the part of the season when the Warriors were a lottery team. They were nowhere close to making the playoffs. The offense was completely stagnant. Curry was double teamed every game. That changed when they traded for Butler.
So far, the only players that have been offered for Kuminga have been Devin Carter and shut-the-front-door-Ethel Dario Saric. Hardly a massive haul.
Also was JK’s defense really that good? I must’ve missed it because Edwards averaged 26.2/5.6/7.6 on .500/.442/.692 vs GSW last year during the playoffs.
@dezpoo
Was PF Kuminga assigned to guard SG Ant?
@ Giants….yes, getting absolutely nothing in return will be absolutely fantastic for maximising the title window for one Steph Curry. Geez….SMH.
@nrg Are you saying that Dario Saric is the Warriors savior? Who knew. Funny how he hid it first time with the Warriors.
No, you just did. And going off rumours only. I’m saying losing kuminga for nothing is extremely bad business and not helping Steph at all. How long do you think that guy has? Would be wise to maximise his window, no? I mean if this so called $45 mil 2yr deal was actually legit….why not give Kuminga a player option, then trade him?
Because giving him a player option makes it harder to trade him.
its better to lose Kuminga for nothing than bring back players they don’t need on bad contracts that is a hit on the payroll next year. 2nd round picks are big gambles they even make above your G team
**As Charania points out, while the Nets were the only team to enter this offseason with significant cap room, there could be 10 or more cap-space teams in 2026, creating more options on the open market for a free agent like Thomas.**
This could be the huge reason Jonathan Kuminga is thinking about the qualifying offer? Thinking ahead to 2026 cap room is a gamble, but one he’s willing to take I guess.
If Kuminga goes this way, may it be a lesson learned for all parties. Unfortunate but that’s how the cookie crumbles sometimes.
Will Josh Giddey do the same thing? I’d say no.., he’s a hell of a player and the bulls probably figure something out with him on a 4 year deal at 25 – 30 per.
Kuminga has more potential than Giddey. Unfortunately the Warriors haven’t helped him much to reach it. Like I said long ago. Warriors should be focused on what they can get for Kuminga now. There is no future in GS.
No team has offered anything for kuminga but cast offs. You are not trading Kuminga unless you get something back worth some value. Not even a 1st rounder was offered for him.
@arc89, you are always repeating rumors that you hear like they are all of the truth anybody could know. It makes it hard to read past the first words.
We have zero info on what the Warriors asked for and we only know about rumors that were reported here. Also you know that almost no teams can acquire free agents this year.
When the trading period comes Iin a few months teams will be able to do lots of deals they can’t now.
Stop living in the past arc. He is signing his QO and he is gone. Be thankful you will get Horford, Melton, Payton, and pkg for Kuminga. This is reality. There is no reason to keep Kuminga on team at QO. Best to move his as soon as he signs. There will be takers, like I have said before. Young talent n pick.
Not living in the past just posting facts that Kuminga agent truned down the offer last year because he wanted a max deal. When somebody claims you lied you show them facts to shut them up. I agree he will sign the QO. Like I said before there is no takers for Kuminga. Best guess is he leaves the warriors next year as a free agent.
Oh gawd…I keep hearing you say
Come on Al. You keep saying that. But rings hollow. What are the Warriors supposed to do to bring out Kuminga’s potential? They’ve changed the lineup multiple times. Hell, Draymond willing gave up his starting role for him. They let him know what he needs to do.
Others players have found success playing under Kerr. What are they supposed to do?
What other young players found success playing under Kerr? He’s the all-time worst, numbers don’t lie. Podz is the only player in 11 years that has succeeded at all in his his first few years. Poole comes close.but Kerr let Draymond destroy him.
Moody was breaking out before his injury. Ty Jerome has done quite well. Poole was a bit of a mess. You can’t blame that on Draymond.
“What other young players found success playing under Kerr?”
Stephen Curry
Klay Thompson
Draymond Green
Kevon Looney
Shaun Livingston
Festus Ezeli
Quinn Cook
Andrew Wiggins
Jordan Poole
Moses Moody
Brandin Podziemski
Trayce Jackson-Davis
Quentin Post
Gui Santos
Just to name a few
———————————-
“The all-time worst, numbers don’t lie.”
The all-time worst, a coach who won 4 championships in 11 seasons, has a 65 Season Win% and 68 Playoff Win%
Is this a joke. That’s one of the most incorrect posts we’ve seen in years. Probably best for you to stick to your own team if your that ignorant about the Warriors
Warriors failure with their draft picks has been written about to death over the years. Brandin Podziemski is the only draft pick in last 10 years to get significant minutes in his first 2 years. The media can’t stop talking about it. Only you don’t know that
Your list shows your ignorance.
Draymond, Steph, Klay, and Ezeli were drafted years before Kerr came on. Livingston and Wiggins had played more than 5 seasons before they joined. Cook wasn’t drafted by Warriora and was released. Poole was dumped. Moody has been a disappointment and asked to be traded two years ago. Wiseman was abandoned. TJD doesn’t play.
It’s well documented. Warriors have worst record developing their draft picks since Kerr started. Draft picks play the fewest games while they’re with the Warriors and they last in the NBA the shortest time.
1st off. The Warriors haven’t had many draft picks since Kerr took over. There is not a whole lot to develop where they have been drafting.
Ah Poole. The Wizards got rid of him as soon as they could. Kevin Garnett said he doesn’t belong in the NBA. Moody never asked to be traded. He turned the corner before his injury last season. Wiseman wasn’t abandoned. Big men take longer to develop. They realized they couldn’t give him the minutes he needed and defend an unexpected title.
Successful NBA teams have difficulty giving draft picks minutes. Hell, Pritchard in Boston asked to be traded. Now, he is going to start. Look how many seasons it took him. He played 4 years of college.
What I don’t get is people complain about Kerr when the only top 5 pick the warriors had was in the covid draft maybe the worst draft ever with very little talent. Kuminga is the only other top 10 pick by the warriors. No team had less top 10 draft picks than the warriors in the last 15 years only 3 top 10 draft picks. Only 6 top 20 picks in last 15 years.
@giants74. Toy will say anything to dwdend Kerr:. Warriors got plenty of firsts. They had 9 firsts in Kerr’s 10 years, including a #2, #7, #15, #18.
Looney
Damian Jones
Jacob Evans
Poole
Wiseman
Kuminga
Moody
Baldwin
Podz
The stats show Ker doesnt play his draft picks. Not just the firsts. It’s the same with seconds. Please don’t say it’s because he wants to win because all the winningest teams find a way to develop their picks
First of all. Kerr is not the GM. He takes what is given to him. He does play Warriors draft picks. Why do you believe he doesn’t? Do you really believe that every player drafted in the 1st round becomes at least a rotation player? Was OKC winning 50+ games a year for the past 10 years?
@ Giants….Wiseman, Kuminga, Moody all lottery picks and Kerr failed them all. As was Podz who absolutely sucks. Yet Kerr keeps playing him. This is the same Kerr who said Edwards workout was absolutely awful, lol. Stevie was the ultimate coattail rider as a player and is exactly the same as a coach.
Don’t you Warriors fans ever listen. Grown men still crying. I don’t keep saying anything. You just don’t get it or understand your team or ball. The Warriors have FAILED Kuminga. This is history. No one cares except the crying Warrior fans. His value is low ….. by your own words. Why ????? Yeah its all his fault. Warriors had years to get it right. Its over. He is gone. Now if you listened to me. You would have moved him off season after playoffs. Where he reminded everyone he has talent. I should say reminded all of you non believers. That was the time to trade him. When his value was the highest, at the draft. Thats how smart I am. I look for the best not the worst. Even if I don’t care about the Warriors lol.
Now you will move him at his QO. And best you will get is young talent and a pick.
Dude I have been saying to move him for years. And you still have same response. That’s how Warriors work too. Now you will pray you get value for him. Cause he is GONE …….
So how much do you have invested in Kuminga Al? You sound like his agent in many of these post. You better hope he doesn’t end up like Oubre. A guy with so much talent but never could put it all together and just another 6th man on a team.
This gets so old arc. You must make the same post 20 times a week. The only people that say Kuminga hasn’t been in high demand by other teams are eithwler haters or just plain don’t know hoops.
I can understand some people hate his game. But saying no teams are interested in him means your ignoring the facts. When multiple teams offer a guy $23-$24M per year that means he has value. Try to let that sink in.
I see you are using a burner account. Shoukld I call you KD?
Post the trade offers for Kuminga if he is in high demand. Go ahead post them??
If those team want Kuminga as you claim how come they have not made any trade offers for him??
So post facts not made up things. PS why use a burner account?
What teams have been pursuing Kuminga. Beyond the Kings, who else has made offers? Utah and the Suns have had mild interest.
Um…Al…What makes you think Kuminga’s value has always been high? They couldn’t have traded him at the draft. He didn’t have a contract. QO designations were due before the draft or they could trade players.
Did it ever cross your mind that maybe Kuminga isn’t that coachable. It does happen. The guy has trouble staying in the rotation and he wants to be the “foundation” for the team. Gotta walk before you can run.
@Giants74
The Warriors should have started him and kept his minutes above 30/gm over Wiggins in 2023-24 (the season they finished 10th). They promised him a starting role more than once and then took it away.
Young players need the coach’s support in order to develop, and Kerr’s benching him frequently and limiting his minutes has hurt his confidence and his level of play.
@KnickAl
It’s hard to agree. Giddey has surpassed Kuminga in every stat category, despite having fallen out of favor in OKC. I seriously doubt that Kuminga could have matched Giddey’s numbers on a bad Bulls team.
That’s Crazy. Did you see the last 4 games of the year. 2nd round playoffs against elite defense Minnesota.
Kuminga averaged 24.5 points and shot 55%.
Giddey and Kuminga do different things. I woud not try to compare them. Knickers is right Kuminga has way more upside.
Kuminga’s offensive stats per minute have been way better than Giddey’s over the last 2 years. Kuminga is a scorer, Giddey isn’t.
Kuminga is an athletic freak. He can defend players that Giddey can’t.
Giddey is a natural playmaker. He could be a very good PG and those are hard to come by. Good team defender but poor lateral movement. He didn’t fit at OKC. I like him but it’s hard to pay big money to somebody who wasn’t very good in his first 3 years.
You got it, Gary. The unsigned 4 players have all been talking to the teams that have extra cap space next season, and that’s informing their current actions.
You can read about it elsewhere, but because Kuminga and his agent were given permission to talk to approach all team about a sign and trade, they learned from all those 10 (and other) teams about who is interested and for how much. That’s why they’re not signing for $22M.
One team they have spoken with is the Lakers, who will have $84M in cap space, and no LeBron or Hachimura.
What is y’all love affair with Jonathan kaminga? I’ve asked this a few times. Please name me two elite things that Jonathan kaminga can do? He’s very athletic. He doesn’t play defense. He has a shaky jump shot. He has no handle to get his own shot and he doesn’t play well without the ball. So why would you give up 25 million a year for that? Cam Thomas is a great scorer can score with the ball in his hands, but he is not a starter. So your sixth man is not going to make more than 15 to $20 million. So again You guys are not evaluating these players from x and o standpoints and just saying this player deserves x amount of money. Well I’m sorry the Ben Simmons and all the other people they messed that up by not playing and not growing their game. So now with the new cap the owners have all the power. A restricted free agents are not going to get paid because of the quickly contracts and people like that. Those contracts have gone South
> Josh Giddey.., he’s a hell of a player and the bulls
> probably figure something out with him on a 4 year
> deal at 25 – 30 per.
Sounds about right to me (I’d be a smidge lower), but the Bulls have reportedly offered only 4 x $20M
Unlike Kuminga, who is behind Butler and Draymond, Giddey has been anointed the Bulls point guard, present and future. Bulls are in rebuild mode, so it feels like a no-brainer. It’s a bad time to be a free-agent.
How many teams are going to be willing to accommodate what he wants?
Why does that matter to you lol. Sounds like sour grapes. You should be focused on what you can get for him. What do you care about him and his future lol.
How many teams are willing to trade for a player if they are demanding to much? Look what the Kings were offering.
This guy was born in the wrong era. 20 or 30 years ago, he would’ve got money. Teams are smart now and know that guards who shoot with poor efficiency and can’t defend are not valuable. At least not to the extent that this guy wants to be paid.
He doesn’t defend. Doesn’t pass. Doesn’t play team ball. Doesn’t run an offense. If his shot is not dropping. He is useless. Hasn’t learned the game yet.
Is this a joke? Look at Immanuel Quickley’s contract, Patrick Williams. Paul George, Myles Turner, Duncan Robinson etc etc.
He was talking about player archetype and skillset more so than teams being perfect. Before all the analytics, athletic guys like Kuminga were viewed favorably. But once it became clear just how damaging those specific deficiencies are with respect to winning basketball, they fell out of favor.
Now, the hope is he eventually puts it all together and becomes a star, with the risk being he doesn’t come close to that and probably isn’t a winning player relative to his role. Back then, teams didn’t worry about that as much.
OhThatYoGirl:
Immanuel Quickley defends and can hit the 3. How does he compare? Duncan Robinson hits the 3. Cam Thomas has a skill set that is no longer valued. Paul George was a more dynamic player than Thomas. He just got old. These players really don’t compare to Thomas.
Cam is at best a rotation player. Unfortunately he thinks his ability to score . Should make him a star and get paid like one. He is all about himself. And doesn’t get or care what a team player means.
Worst kind of player to have around if you are trying to build a team from the ground up. He needs a mentor in worst way. His scoring alone can keep him in NBA a long time. Has to learn to commit to doing all the other things. Nets will have to move him.
You are right about Cam. He would be an elite 6 man. Actually he would play perfectly in clarkston’s role for the Knicks. So 15-20 million is his ceiling.
I don’t agree with you with Jonathan kaminga to me. He does no elite skills and I don’t think he will grow into anything much more than what he is now because he’s a small Ford and a power Ford’s body and he can’t handle the ball well enough to play the three. If you wants to approve his game he needs to learn how to play with off the ball and get easier buckets.
He’s a Jerami Grant at best.
I wanted him in draft. You could see this guy was going to be a scorer. But watching himm all these years. He doesn’t do anything else. He needs a mentor in a bad way lol. He definitely could be a sixth man.
One down, three to go!
He never asked for a max deal. Only the people on this site said that he did. Rumors.
This summer they offered him only 1 year guaranteed. Not a real offer.
Warrior fans are biggest cry babies on this syte lol. They have taken over the Lakers fans title. They will say anything to make their team look better.
What are we supposedly crying about?
Just Al’s tag line. He just loves to use it
Good. Let these teams lose these players for nothing since they had no plan.
What is this team? I mean I get not wanting to over pay Thomas, but what on earth are the nets trying to do?
So, one of the Fab 4 goes down.
If any of Giddey, Kuminga or Grimes take a QO too, I’d like my team to sign them next season, to at least a 3-year deal. Regardless of what happens in 25-26, if they are benched or whatever. Those players have shown enough to have belief in them when summer 2026 comes.
Are Brooklyn under the salary floor now or over it?
I believe they are still under but that’s not including officially signing Ziaire Williams, so they should go over it by the time they have a 15-man roster set up before the season opener.
I think Cam Thomas is not good fit with a young team trying to build discipline. Giddey and JK would fit well.
I agree with that assessment, for the most part. Thomas certainly doesn’t jump out as a great fit for a rebuilding team. But he has his place in the NBA. Someone like Milwaukee or 24-25 Orlando could use him.
And I’ve seen my team routinely lose by 20-30 points at home. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have someone like Thomas score 20 and at least make it interesting.
Giddey and Kuminga would fit well, certainly. And they’ll be 23 this time next year. Grimes would be a good addition for all 30 teams. Getting him under contract wouldn’t hurt either.
Kuminga will sign QO. He is just doing to Warriors. What they have done to him last two yrs.
Giddey I see getting a contract eventually they will settle. He is too valuable to lose. Bulls can easily trade him.
Grimes I also see getting a contract eventually. Sixers need him if they want to contend. Grimes probably would take two years at fair offer.
The Warriors have been working with Kuminga to try to find a winning lineup with him it it. How is that treating him badly? What are they supposed to do?