Who's More Valuable: Nets' Cam Thomas or the Raptors' Quickley-Barrett Duo?

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has reportedly set his benchmark for the new contract he's seeking. Per Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Thomas believes his individual value is either on the same level or higher than the likes of Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro and the Toronto Raptors' duo of RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.

Herro is the odd man out of this argument, because he owns something the other three players don't: an All-Star nod. Without the Heat guard being taken into account, does Thomas have a point in his self valuation?

The debate is nuanced

Quickley is due $32.5 million in the 2025-26 season, a steep price for a 26-year-old with limited accolades. He's a talented young player without a doubt, but that contract number is steep.

It also seems likely that Thomas would prefer a contract closer to Quickley's than Barrett's, because Barrett is owed just $27.7 million. There's only about a $5 million margin between the two, but Thomas—along with fellow restricted free agents Jonathan Kuminga and Josh Giddey—is seeking a deal that would pay him $30 million-plus annually.

To project Thomas to receive a deal reminiscent of Quickley's isn't easy. Brooklyn reportedly hasn't offered their 23-year-old guard a contract that holds a higher average annual value (AAV) than $14 million per year. Thus, it seems incredibly unlikely it would more than double the highest offer.

That's speficially if Quickley is the prime example. If Barrett is, that's a different story.

While Barrett isn't quite the scorer Thomas is, his all-around skills do presently surpass Thomas'. He's more well-rounded, and an argument can be made that throughout both careers, Barrett has contributed more to winning. Still, if Barrett is considered a better player, the gap isn't all that wide. He's certainly a better comparison than Quickley is.

In the NBA, sometimes overpays happen. Especially in the modern age, it's almost expected at this point. That means that the players who are "next up" for their contract extensions will reference these overpays in an attempt to secure a higher number—which there's nothing wrong with.

That's how the free agency market works. Thomas' issue isn't "the cycle." It's his polarization.

It appears that, with guys like Barrett and Quickley, front offices know what they're going to get. Thomas is more of a wildcard outside of his scoring ability.

When Thomas gets his new deal—and what that number may look like—remains to be seen. But, if he is re-signed by the Nets, it would be fair to anticipate the contract falling somewhere between Brooklyn's $14 million lowball offer and Quickley's $32.5 million overpay.