This summer, four restricted free agents hoped to get a good offer. But the situation with all of them, while different, showed that restricted free agency can be a huge challenge. Of the four, Cam Thomas is the first to sign the qualifying offer, bet on his future, and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. But was that a wise decision? While he might be betting on himself, will the team bet on him as well? How invested will the Brooklyn Nets be in a player who can easily leave next summer?
Cam Thomas Bets On Himself, But Nets Bet On Future
According to the latest reports, the Nets are looking to build towards their future and do not view Thomas as a part of that. That might prove a considerable challenge for Thomas, who hopes to show the league that he can deliver and be a quality player on a winning team. The latest reports claim,
“With Thomas’ future so uncertain, the Nets are unlikely to feature him as much as if they had signed him to a long-term contract, and of course, the Nets are once again in tank mode as they try to secure one of the top picks in the 2026 Draft.”
The Nets don’t have long-term plans for Cam Thomas and are unlikely to feature him much on offense next season as they look to tank, per @NetsDaily
“With Thomas future so uncertain, the Nets are unlikely to feature him as much as if they had signed him to a long-term contract… pic.twitter.com/A6Zdlbb4eW
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 4, 2025
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That can easily tank his price even lower for next summer. Yes, there will be plenty of teams with cap space. One of them might decide to give him a chance. However, it will be challenging to secure a $25+ million contract per year if he is not playing as much or as involved offensively.
Thomas, the Odd Man Out
The Nets added five rookies in the 2025 NBA draft, and they now have one of the youngest rosters in the league. Judging by how the negotiations between them and Thomas went, it is clear they do not consider him an important part of their future.
They drafted two guards in the first round: Egor Demin eighth overall and Nolan Traore at 19th. Both play at the one spot, with Demin listed at six-foot-nine and Traore at six-foot-three. Thomas is more of a shooting guard, but he had the ball in his hands plenty last season. With Brooklyn trying to develop their young rookies, Thomas might be the odd man out. He might find himself in a situation like in his first two years with the Nets, when he averaged between 16 and 18 minutes. The last two seasons, he averaged about 31 minutes, but that playing time may not be there in 2025-26.
Is Thomas Overvaluing Himself?
We are now in the first and second apron era of the NBA. Teams have to be more cautious about how they spend money. Giving away high-salary contracts to players who might not be worth as much is something that can set your franchise back for years. Thomas believes he is a starting-level guard with All-Star potential. The Nets do not view him as such. Instead, they see him as a quality role player.
For comparison, Thomas might believe he should be earning as much as players like Immanuel Quickley ($32.5 million per year), Jordan Poole ($32 million per year), or Tyler Herro ($30 million per year). He might be right. But those were all contracts signed before the “apron era.” In the new era, teams are not giving out $30 million per year contracts unless you prove you deliver wins. So far, Thomas hasn’t done that. He can still get a deal of around $20 million, something that players like Andrew Nembhard, Collin Sexton, or De’Andre Hunter earn.
Featured image: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
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