Cam Thomas' Scoring Dubbed 'Eye of the Beholder' by NBA Exec Amid Free Agency
NBA front office members surveyed in a recent poll by The Athletic offered a wide range of answers as to what they believe is the market value of Brooklyn Nets restricted free agent Cam Thomas' next contract.
Responses ranged from giving Thomas $16 million to $30 million per season, according to The Athletic's Fred Katz.
One survey respondent who projected a two-year, $32 million contract for Thomas told Katz, “I wouldn’t be shocked if this was way lower or higher. His scoring is very much ‘eye of the beholder.’”
Thomas is reportedly eyeing the top end of that salary range by seeking $30 million per season on his next deal, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
The 23-year-old guard averaged career highs in every offensive category last season by putting up 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the Nets.
Those numbers came in a limited sample size, however, as Thomas was limited to 25 games by hamstring issues that derailed his fourth NBA season.
He also took control of almost a third of the Nets' possessions when he was on the court last season. Thomas finished the campaign with a 32.8 percent usage rate, ranking him fifth in the league among players who appeared in at least 20 games.
That high-usage highlighted Thomas' ability to produce on offense, while also bringing to light his struggles as a passer and defender. Thomas recorded a defensive rating of 120.6 last season, the fifth-worst number among all NBA players who appeared in at least 20 games.
After finishing the 2024-25 season with 26 wins, the Nets are bracing for what is shaping up to be another campaign outside the playoff bubble next spring.
Of all teams in the NBA, the Nets have the most room to sign Thomas to the deal he's looking for. Spotrac puts the Nets' projected cap space at almost $20 million, by far the most in the league.
In order to facilitate their ongoing rebuild, however, the franchise may need to negotiate a contract for Thomas that another team would be willing to trade for in the future.
