Report: League Execs Weigh in on Cam Thomas’ Market Value

As the first month of NBA free agency wraps up, surprisingly few developments have been made in the contract negotiations for Brooklyn Nets restricted free agent Cam Thomas. Aside from the Nets extending him a one-year qualifying offer worth $5.99 million and reportedly offering a contract just above the mid-level exception, Thomas has not attracted much interest from other teams in free agency.

Thomas is reportedly seeking up to $25 million per season, but he has seemed to struggle to find a deal that meets his expectations. Part of the challenge for Thomas seems to simply be bad timing, he played the fewest games of his career last season, while most teams have their hands tied financially. According to The Athletic's Fred Katz, the Nets appear to be the only team able to afford the contract Thomas is requesting.

With limited cap space around the league and Thomas’ injury history raising concerns, his restricted free agency is shaping up to be a complicated situation. The Nets hold the leverage, but it remains uncertain if both sides can agree on terms that reflect Thomas’ value and potential.

"In the end, eight of the 16 participants in the poll suggested a three-plus-year contract for Thomas. For perspective, 15 of the 16 proposed deals of at least three years for each of Kuminga, Giddey and Grimes," Katz said. "On one side are the people who believe that Thomas’ gaudy numbers warrant a payday. The highest average annual value proposed for him was $30 million a year. On the other are those who question if his score-first approach is conducive to winning."

Last season, Thomas reached career-highs in points (24), assists (3.8) and rebounds (3.3) per game, but was limited to just 25 games after suffering a hamstring injury. During the 2023-2024 season, Thomas averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game, making a significant leap offensively compared to the previous season where he averaged 10.6 points per game.

One possibility some executives have suggested is for Brooklyn to keep Thomas with the plan of eventually trading him to a team in need of a scorer.

"Brooklyn is preparing for another season at the bottom of the standings. The Nets are looking to the future, one reason participants in the poll concentrated on them retaining Thomas for what they would consider a tradeable salary," said Katz. "The executive who suggested the two-year, $30 million contract focused on keeping the second year, not the first, under the midlevel exception, which projects to be a shade above $15 million in 2026-27...This would allow Brooklyn to trade Thomas into another team’s MLE either next summer or next season without having to match salaries."

While it remains unclear where Thomas will end up this offseason, Katz and the majority of the front office executives he spoke to suggested that it would be in both parties' best interest if Thomas returned to Brooklyn.