Should Brooklyn Nets Settle on Qualifying Offer for Cam Thomas?

Cam Thomas is one of a few restricted free agents who have dominated the latter stages of the offseason cycle. As this crop of young players believes they are worth more than most teams can offer, it has led to stalemates like the one Thomas and Brooklyn are currently in.

That’s why it makes some sense for the Nets and Thomas to simply get into next season and worry about these negotiations again next summer. In a recent Bleacher Report article, Eric Pincus predicted that Thomas would take his $6 million qualifying offer for next season.

Although the Nets could still hand Thomas a multi-year deal below his liking, it might just be best for Brooklyn to pull any standing offers and force the 2021 first-round pick to prove himself next season. There’s no doubt that Thomas can put some points on the board, averaging a career-best 24 points per game last season, but his all-around game still raises some big questions that have prevented the Nets from giving him a payday this offseason.

After playing only 25 games last season, there could be some concern about his ability to stay on the floor, but his ability to contribute to winning is probably a much larger concern. With a reputation for being an empty stats player, Thomas’ 3.8 assists per game also paint a picture of a one-dimensional player, given his 32.6% usage rate.

Add in some warranted defensive concerns for the 6-foot-4 guard, and it makes sense that Brooklyn isn’t interested in giving him anything around $20 million a year. Still, even if all of those concerns are legitimate, Thomas could be a microwave scorer and a solid sixth man, but the questions around his ability to put up those numbers on a winning team in a smaller role might keep him from a payday again in 2026.