Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has found himself at the center of one of the more troubling free agency sagas this offseason. As a restricted free agent, Thomas has had very little control over deciding his future. Having been presented with an offer that significantly falls short of his expectations, the 23-year-old is expected to experience further difficulties, per NBA insider Grant Afseth.
In his recent piece for Fastbreakjournal.com, Afseth revealed that the Nets guard was expecting a four-year deal in the range of $100 million. Considering the Nets’ offer of $28 million over two years, with a team option in the second year, there is a wide gap in expectations between the two parties.
Although Thomas is reportedly viewed as a “ball hog” by teams around the league, he remains an immensely gifted offensive player. He averaged 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists during the 2024-25 campaign, appearing in only 25 games, as injuries kept him sidelined for the better part of the season.
An Eastern Conference scout told Afseth that teams around the league have evaluated Thomas’ offensive abilities. They said:
“He can flat-out score, no doubt about that. But teams want more than a bucket-getter at that price point. You’re talking $25-30 million per year. There’s got to be some defensive buy-in, some playmaking, some winning impact. That’s where the hesitation is.”
According to a Western Conference executive, his current skill set also presented a limited scope for teams to pursue him. The executive claimed:
“If you’re building a team, are you giving Cam Thomas that kind of money to be your top option? Probably not. And if he’s your third guy, that’s a big number for someone who doesn’t defend or create for his teammates at a high level.”
The executive’s comments suggest that teams don’t view Thomas as a primary option in the starting lineup, largely due to his limited contributions beyond scoring.
However, this opens the door for Thomas to carve out a role off the bench, according to a veteran scout who spoke to Afseth. The scout said:
“He’s a talented scorer, but he’s kind of stuck in the middle right now. He wants star money, but a lot of teams see him more like a microwave scorer off the bench.”
The outlook for Thomas to come off the bench as a scoring punch is intriguing. Considering the role Jordan Clarkson had with the Utah Jazz for much of his career, the 23-year-old could attempt to replicate that blueprint.
This would be quite counterintuitive, as he sees himself as “one of the elite playmaking scorers in the NBA,” per Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer. But in the current scenario, it may also be the best outcome.
The offer presented by the Nets has been viewed as disrespectful by the NBA community on social media, especially considering the team option in the final year.
The guard’s frustrations with the Nets, as well as the critics, are justified at this stage. Given the circumstances, Thomas may seriously consider accepting the Nets’ $5.9 million qualifying offer, playing out the season, and betting on himself in free agency next summer.
