Cam Thomas Accepts $6 Million Qualifying Offer to Remain With Nets
cam-thomas-accepts-6m-qualifying-offer-nets
Brooklyn, N.Y. — Guard Cam Thomas will stay with the Brooklyn Nets on a one-year, $6 million qualifying offer, according to sources familiar with the agreement.
The Nets confirmed Thursday that the 23-year-old restricted free agent had been re-signed, though the organization did not reveal contract terms. By choosing the qualifying offer, Thomas secures a full no-trade clause through the 2025-26 season and positions himself for unrestricted free agency next summer, when league projections show at least 10 teams with meaningful salary-cap room.
Negotiations and Alternative Proposals
Representatives Ron Shade and Alex Saratsis of Octagon explored several scenarios with Brooklyn before opting for the one-year pact. Team proposals included a two-year, $30 million contract with a club option for Year 2, and a separate one-year package worth $9.5 million—plus incentives that could have raised the total to $11 million—if the no-trade clause was waived, sources said.
Thomas becomes the first of the NBA’s remaining restricted free agents— a group that also features Chicago’s Josh Giddey, Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga and Philadelphia’s Quentin Grimes— to settle on a 2025-26 deal. He is only the fifth former first-round pick since 2017 to accept a qualifying offer rather than a longer agreement.
Market Dynamics
Brooklyn entered free agency among the few franchises with notable cap space, effectively slowing the market for restricted players. Over the past month, the Nets have been the lone team with substantial room under the salary cap.
On-Court Production
Despite hamstring issues that limited him to 25 appearances last season— the first extended absence of his career— Thomas averaged 24.0 points, 3.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 31.2 minutes. GeniusIQ tracking shows he faced double-teams on 18 percent of his touches, the league’s fourth-highest rate among players with at least 1,000 touches, trailing only Zion Williamson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Over the past two seasons, Thomas has produced 22.9 points in 31.4 minutes per game, a sharp rise from the 9.5 points and 17.1 minutes he logged during his first two years. He owns nine career 40-point outings, fourth-most in franchise history behind Vince Carter, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
Source: ESPN
