Josh Giddey vs. Cam Thomas Contracts: Did the Nets Falter Doing Opposite of the Bulls?

As the NBA offseason wraps up, so does a free agency that got the attention of not just playoff contenders, but 'lower-level' teams as well. More specifically, the restricted free agency market was a big story of the summer for a few NBA teams, two of those being the Brooklyn Nets and the Chicago Bulls.

The Nets and Bulls both had star players hit the restricted free agency market, with questions as to whether or not they'd get the money they desired. On Brooklyn's side, Cam Thomas has gradually risen to stardom within the franchise, averaging 24 points per game last season. As for Chicago, Josh Giddey impressed many in his first season with the team, especially after the All-Star break.

However, the two were walking away with very different checks by September. Thomas chose to return to the Nets on the $6 million qualifying offer, which would keep him with the team through the 2025-26 season. The 23-year-old would enter unrestricted free agency next June.

Giddey was the one who got big money, as he and the Bulls managed to meet in the middle on a four-year, $100 million contract. After his camp originally demanded $30 million per year, he and Chicago were able to lower that number.

The debate of whether or not Giddey deserves the money is a separate one, but it has raised another question pertaining to Thomas: Did Brooklyn make a mistake not locking up its star? The Nets are at risk of losing their best player in 2026, while the Bulls have another long-term piece on their books for the next four years.

To put it simply, Giddey is a better player than Thomas, and the two are very different talents. Chicago had more of a reason to give the 6-foot-8 point guard that money. Brooklyn didn't make a mistake, it actually made the right decision.

First off, the Bulls are in a different situation than the Nets. Brooklyn has other pieces of the organization to focus on, including a league record five first-round rookies this season, as well as 12 first-round picks between 2026 and 2032.

Chicago, on the other hand, had to make a trade last season just to have its own lottery pick in 2025. From 2026 to 2032, the Bulls have six first-round picks, all their own, but it could be seven if the Portland Trail Blazers miraculously make the playoffs. Yes, it's a good thing that Chicago has all its picks, but there also had to be an emphasis on the young talent it has right now.

Furthermore, Thomas is coming off a season in which he played just 25 games. Not only that, but there are still concerns about his defense, playmaking and overall impact on winning. He is a fantastic scorer, especially in isolation, but he hasn't had the chance to prove much outside of that, which is likely the biggest reason why the Nets didn't choose to pay him big money.

However, Giddey was spectacular post-All-Star break and put up impressive numbers that helped the Bulls overachieve at 39-43. On the season, the 22-year-old averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game on better shooting than Thomas.

Since the All-Star Game, he bumped those up to 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game while shooting 50% from the field and 46% from three. That warrants $25 million per year, especially with the rising salary cap and new CBA.

There are still flaws in Giddey's game, and he certainly isn't a superstar in today's game. However, when people start comparing him to Thomas and his $6 million contract next season, there's a clear difference in who the better player is and why the Australian floor general got paid. No, Brooklyn did not make a mistake.