How Impactful is Cam Thomas's No-Trade Clause With the Nets?

The Brooklyn Nets have finally brought back star shooting guard Cam Thomas for one more season after a summer full of drama and uncertainty. Many were worrying about the relationship between the Nets and their star player, but he now returns to Brooklyn for at least one more season.

The organization will bring back Thomas on the one-year, $6 million qualifying offer, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The 23-year-old was hoping for big money this offseason, but no other team showed significant interest, and Brooklyn had all the leverage.

While many are focused on Thomas hitting unrestricted free agency in 2026, an underrated part of his deal is that it includes a no-trade clause for the season. If, for some reason, Brooklyn decides to trade the shooting guard, the deal would only go through if he waives the clause.

It's a small part of the deal on the surface, but no-trade clauses have turned out to have major effects on teams in the past. Most recently, the Phoenix Suns had trouble moving on from Bradley Beal due to a combination of his contract size and no-trade clause.

It's only for one season, but Thomas's no-trade clause is certainly a factor as Brooklyn enters another season of the rebuild. Of course, the Nets have yet to take the court, but this season will determine the star's value on the market, and whether or not the team that drafted him will lose him.

The trade deadline is a ways away, but hypothetically, if it comes and the Nets know they can't lose Thomas for nothing, the no-trade clause will be a major factor. He can keep himself in Brooklyn until the summer rather than being moved in a salary dump or asset swap.

The Nets are likely to keep Thomas for the entire season, but his chances of staying were definitely increased from the qualifying offer, which included the no-trade clause. Brooklyn is now fully expected to keep its star for the year, as he'd likely decline any trade unless it's to a situation that sets him up for a big contract in 2026.