NBA Free Agency: Disgruntled $5.99 M scorer Cam Thomas wants to leave Nets for greener pastures

Cam Thomas and the Brooklyn Nets couldn’t agree on a contract extension, so Thomas accepted a $5.99 million qualifying offer. Many fans were surprised by what looks like a major pay cut, especially as reports suggested he was on track to earn north of $30 million per year. His decision, though, says a lot about his future with the Nets.

Thomas is clearly focused on the bigger picture. By signing the qualifying offer, he will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026. That will give him full control over his next move and the chance to sign the type of deal he believes he deserves with another team.

“Thomas opted to play out the coming season on the $5.99 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer,” Brian Lewis on NY Post wrote.

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“It almost certainly points to a departure. Generally speaking, a player taking the qualifying offer signals the marriage being over, not just the honeymoon.”

Instead of agreeing to the Nets’ two-year, $28 million reported offer, Thomas chose to bet on himself, but this is a highly risky decision.

If he underperforms or suffers a serious injury this coming season, he could lose out on what would have been a guaranteed $14 million per year. But Thomas seems confident in his ability to perform at a high level and wants to show that he's worth the demands he's making.

Even though last season was cut short by a hamstring injury, Cam Thomas was impressive when he played, averaging 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 15 games.

Cam Thomas demanded to be paid more than Tyler Herro and Jalen Green

During contract negotiations with the Brooklyn Nets, Cam Thomas reportedly made it clear that he believes he deserves a more lucrative contract than players like Tyler Herro, Jalen Green and Immanuel Quickley.

Herro and Quickley are set to earn around $32 million in the upcoming season, while Green will be making $33.3 million per year through the 2027-28 campaign.

“One league source told NetsDaily where Thomas sees his market, using comparable players around the league: Jalen Green… Immanuel Quickley…Tyler Herro… That’s where he sees his market, if not higher,” said the source… This suggests Thomas is searching for an annual salary starting at $30 million, likely closer to $40 million,” @NetsDaily reported.

There's still no update on when Cam Thomas will return from his injury, and no timeline has been set. Once he's healthy, he's expected to be the primary scorer and carry most of the team's offensive load.

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About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia is an NBA, WNBA, and tennis journalist at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in the field with The SportsRush.

Advait has a love of basketball that stems from playing the game, and has represented Mumbai North at the Inter-District State Championship and Maharashtra at the ASISC National Games.

His favorite team is the New Orleans Pelicans, although Advait also has an affinity for the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His favorite player of all time was Kobe Bryant, as the Lakers legend's undeniable talent and mentality were just unignorable. As for players in the current game, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Kyrie Irving are top of Advait's list.

When not watching or writing about sports, Advait is a fan of true crime shows, board games and console gaming.

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