Nets Re-Signing Critical Free Agent: Report

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 11:41 AM ET

The Brooklyn Nets are re-signing their own critical free agent.

After a flurry of moves on Sunday, Brooklyn appeared to have made its offseason priorities with regards to its own incumbent players clear.

Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Nets extended a one-year, $6 million qualifying offer to shooting guard Cam Thomas. The move made Thomas a restricted free agent, meaning Brooklyn could match any contract sent Thomas' way by a rival club.

Two other young Nets pieces weren't quite so lucky.

Now, one has been ultimately retained as an unrestricted free agent.

Per Shams Charania of ESPN, Brooklyn will ink swingman Ziaire Williams to a two-year, $12 million free agent contract, with a team option for the second year of the deal. Williams' agent at CAA, Aaron Mintz, negotiated the deal with the Nets, Charania adds.

The second season is a team option, sources said. https://t.co/YilT1mGryV
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025

It's a relatively small swing for a Brooklyn team still set to have the most cap space in free agency of any NBA club.

The Nets had declined to extend Williams his one-year, $8.35 million qualifying offer on Sunday, making him an unrestricted free agent, per Scotto.

Sources: The Brooklyn Nets won’t tender Ziaire Williams his 1-year, $8.35M qualifying offer. The Nets hope to retain Williams. This move gives themselves more free agent cap flexibility. Williams will become an unrestricted free agent after averaging 10 points and 4.6 rebounds. pic.twitter.com/mQK8n7M7yK
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 29, 2025

Williams had been the No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of Stanford. The 6-foot-9 wing enjoyed his most productive season on a tanking Nets squad in 2024-25, averaging 10.0 points on .412/.341/.821 shooting splits, 4.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals a night in a career-most 63 contests (45 starts).

Brooklyn had opted not to extend a $6 million qualifying offer to 6-foot-11 center/power forward Day'Ron Sharpe, meaning he will become an unrestricted free agent. A deal for Sharpe has yet to be announced.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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