BROOKLYN — The Brooklyn Nets remain the lone franchise with real cap space. That position has made them central to league business. Last month, they pulled off the NBA’s most recent move, absorbing Haywood Highsmith and a second-round pick from Miami. The trade gave the Heat tax relief. It also boosted Brooklyn’s stash of draft capital to 19 second-rounders over the next seven years.
Nets Still Making Moves Because Of Cam Thomas Deal
Earlier Trades Set the Tone
Brooklyn already spent $36 million in separate trades to acquire Michael Porter Jr. and Terance Mann. Each deal came with first-round compensation. The front office has treated its cap space like a weapon. In a market strangled by the new CBA, the Nets trade after trade reflects a strategy to monetize flexibility.
The Thomas Decision Changed the Equation
Cam Thomas shifted the picture when he bet on himself. He accepted his one-year qualifying offer, locking in a no-trade clause. By accepting $5.9 million, he cleared $9 million in space the biggest offer would have swallowed.
That left the Nets juggling unfinished business. On Wednesday, they finally re-signed Day’Ron Sharpe, a deal long agreed upon but delayed until the front office maximized every dollar. Brooklyn even added $500,000 as a reward for Sharpe’s patience. His contract hits the cap at $6.25 million annually through 2027.
Ziaire Williams is expected to follow. If he signs on similar terms, another $6.25 million comes off the books. That math leaves Brooklyn with less than $10 million in cap space on paper. The number rises in practice, since roster cuts loom.
A Crowded Roster
The Nets will carry 18 standard contracts after Williams signs. They must shed three before the season. Unless another Nets trade after this wave of deals materializes, the cuts will likely come from non-guaranteed players. Keon Johnson, Jalen Wilson, Tyrese Martin, and Drew Timme sit on the bubble.
Two-way contracts provide a cushion. Brooklyn has one open slot, and most of the bubble players qualify. Johnson stands as the lone exception. The team will waive Martin but its unclear who they are willing to lose among the other three.
The Floor and the Future
If Brooklyn waives everyone except Wilson and re-signs Williams, they sit about $7 million under the salary floor. The CBA forces action in that spot. Teams must hit 90 percent of the cap—or $139.2 million—by season’s end. That all but guarantees another salary dump before October.
Such a move would leave the Nets roughly $15.5 million in usable space during the year, plus the $8.8 million room exception as a trade chip. Brooklyn could position itself as a pressure valve for teams slightly over the tax. The Suns, Nuggets, Raptors, 76ers, and Magic all fit that profile.
The Bigger Play
Every signal points the same way. Brooklyn is building value out of flexibility. They are not chasing wins now. They are building assets, stacking picks, and waiting for the right moment to pivot.
In today’s CBA, the Nets prove one thing: cap space still spends like cash. And Brooklyn holds the biggest stack.
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