What Cam Thomas Remaining Unsigned Says About NBA Trends

Cam Thomas remains unsigned, seemingly due to the lack of money available for restricted free agents this offseason.

The 23-year-old sharpshooter averaged 24 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists last season on 43.8/34.9/88.1 shooting splits. That was in just 25 games for the Brooklyn Nets, as a series of injuries hampered Thomas' fourth NBA season. At this stage of his career, what Thomas can add to a team is well-known. He's a bucket who makes hitting impossibly tough shots look easy. 

At the same time, NBA teams also know what Thomas isn’t. The former LSU prospect is entering his fifth year in the league; yet, he is largely still a non-passer and a non-defender. Thomas’ playmaking has gradually improved season-to-season (3.2 assists per 100 possessions as a rookie, compared to 6.0 last season), but he’s a score-first player at his core.

Thinking about what’s en vogue across the NBA right now, it’s definitely not one-dimensional scorers. Otherwise, the harsh reality of the situation is that Thomas’ next contract would’ve already been wrapped up by his representative, Alex Saratsis, the co-managing director of Octagon Basketball. Instead, archetypes like Thomas are apparently struggling to fit into the league’s current trends despite their production. 

Over on the West Coast, the Sacramento Kings appear to be itching to trade Malik Monk. Last season, Monk posted 17.2 points to go along with 3.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists. His efficiency dropped relative to past seasons, but he was a bona fide contributor for the Kings. Now, looking toward next season, the team might be wondering whether Monk can stack up physically and on the defensive end of the floor in the most intense of high-pressure situations. 

The Nets are likely pondering some of those same issues with Thomas. Plus, there is the question of how he processes scoring versus passing. Thomas is less of a facilitator than Monk, which probably makes him even more of a specialist — and not necessarily in a positive way. 

In March, Sportrac’s Keith Smith projected the Nets to offer Thomas a three-year, $45 million deal that the Brooklyn guard would have to "outplay” due to current financial restrictions around the league. Now, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie predicted on his Game Theory Podcast that Thomas’ next contract could be in the ballpark of $50-52 million over three years.

The Nets are back in action on July 10 for the start of Summer League. Brooklyn’s five rookies are on the roster for Las Vegas, but No. 22 pick Drake Powell won’t play due to left knee tendinopathy, per The New York Post's Peter Botte.