Next week will be crazy, no doubt and not just because of the Draft. The Nets have decisions to make on other things, like Cam Thomas contract.
Cam Thomas is back in his hometown of Chesapeake, Va., for a youth camp Saturday and the local TV station caught up with him Friday about his free agency status. The 23-year-old made it clear that he wants to stay in Brooklyn, using the words “definitely” and “for sure” over and over in one 30-second clip…
Cam Thomas stopped by the studio ahead of Saturday’s community day in Chesapeake. He’s a restricted free agent for the first time in his career and says he hopes he can remain in Brooklyn with the Nets, but understands it’s a business.@WTKR3 @24_camthomas pic.twitter.com/qQWLDK2wov
— Marc Davis (@marcdavissports) June 20, 2025
“I definitely, definitely want to be back in Brooklyn. It’s definitely home for me. Being drafted there you definitely build bonds with a lot of people there. so I definitely love it there,” he said. “But at the same time you have to do what’s best for you in the business aspects. So I have to play that by ear, but I definitely want to be back for sure. I definitely love Brooklyn.”
That’s seven “definitely’s” and one “for sure.” if you’re counting. Pretty certain he wants to be back. Thomas said he’s leaving the business side of things to “my agency, my agents and the front office.”
While there’s definitely been a lot of attention paid to the NBA Draft on Wednesday and Thursday nights at Barclays Center and the possibility of trades, there’s been little discussion of the restricted free agencies of Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams, all of them part of the 2021 Draft and so at a big crossroads in their NBA careers.
And those decisions could even get made before the NBA Draft. Indeed things could start to happen as early as 12:01 a.m. ET Monday, the day after the NBA Finals Game 7. Starting then, NBA teams may begin negotiating with their own free agents. That will give the Nets a week-long head start since other teams won’t be able to talk with the RFAs still June 30. (The actual signings could be delayed as the Nets their time free agency decisions to take maximum advantage of their wealth of cap space.)
Historically, Sean Marks & co. have been quick to extend their key players. Both Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton were signed soon after the were eligible to contracts seen as generous.
There’s been a lot of speculation about Thomas’ deal. Although he averaged 24 points a game on 44/35/88 shooting splits, some of the best numbers in his draft class, a series of hamstring issues limited him to only 25 games.
Still, several sources have indicated he’s likely to command a deal as high as $100 million over four years, well in with first rank shooting guards at his age. Moreover, those same sources see Thomas signing as a priority for the Nets. Because of the Nets monopoly on cap space and the new CBA, the Nets aren’t likely to have much competition for him.
As for the other two RFAs, Sharpe and Williams, their numbers are likely to be in the $10 million per year class, per pundits.
Beyond the restricted free agency, the Nets will have to make decisions on five younger players — Jalen Wilson, Keon Johnson, Tyrese Martin, Drew Timme and Maxwell Lewis by a week from Sunday, June 29.
In discussing his community day this Saturday at River Crest Community Center in Chesapeake, spoke about the tidewater as a homecoming.
“Coming home to Virginia and having a big day for every everybody to just come out and have fun,” Thomas said. “It all started here for me and I just wanted to give back as much as I can. I can’t wait.”
- Nets star Cam Thomas giving back to his roots with community day in Chesapeake – Brett Holmes – WTKR