NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Wednesday during a Bleacher Report live stream (YouTube link) that he continues to hear restricted free agent guard Cam Thomas is weighing whether to sign his $6MM qualifying offer or accept a two-year deal with the Nets worth around $14MM annually. The catch is the second year is a team option, meaning only the first season is guaranteed.
“Cam Thomas’s situation seems to be a decision between taking his qualifying offer or a two-year deal with a team option that is north of the qualifying offer from Brooklyn, somewhere around $14 million in average annual value,” Fischer said.
For what it’s worth, league sources not connected to the situation speculated to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports that Thomas might accept a two-year deal with a team option if he received closer to what Golden State reportedly offered Jonathan Kuminga ($45MM). While Helin acknowledges that the Nets have the edge in negotiating leverage, he wonders if the two sides will eventually reach some sort of compromise — perhaps a second-year player option or a partial guarantee in year two — to hash out a new deal.
Here are a few more rumors and notes on NBA veterans who remain unsigned:
- There’s still no indication that any NBA team besides Sacramento is seriously considering signing Russell Westbrook, Fischer said yesterday in the same Bleacher Report live stream (hat tip to Dallas Hoops Journal). “We are still waiting to see what other moves could come in Sacramento before the Kings try to bring Russell Westbrook in,” Fischer said. “And that’s been the one home all along that we really have looked at for Russell Westbrook and that’s still the home that I have heard earlier this week is the most likely outcome for Russell Westbrook if he’s gonna be in the NBA at all. Honestly, that’s really the only home we’ve heard for him.”
- Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report takes a look at four potential landing spots for Ben Simmons, including the Kings, Knicks and Warriors.
- While the Knicks and Simmons have mutual interest and the 29-year-old could end up in New York, Ian Begley of SNY.tv thinks the former No. 1 overall pick is “probably” more likely to land with another team, he said Tuesday on The Putback (YouTube link). New York only has enough room below its second-apron hard cap to sign one veteran to a minimum-salary deal, and Begley is “kind of assuming” that contract will eventually go to Landry Shamet. The Knicks have also kicked the tires on Malcolm Brogdon, though Begley noted they would likely have to make a trade to sign more than one of those three players.