Cam Thomas Faces High-Stakes Decision: Locking in $28 Million or Risking It All?

It’s August, a time with very little pressure to make a decision — training camp doesn’t start for more than a month and the decision date on the qualifying offer is Oct. 1 — so it’s easy for both sides to dig in and not compromise. That changes as it gets closer to the start of camp and the qualifying offer deadline.

Cam Thomas is willing to bet on himself, but how much?“Cam Thomas’s situation seems to be a decision between taking his qualifying offer or a two-year deal with the team option that is north of the qualifying offer from Brooklyn somewhere around million in average annual value.”Thomas is a bucket getter who averaged 24 points and 3.8 assists per game last season, shooting 34.9% on 3-pointers. Brooklyn will need that scoring next season, paired with Michael Porter Jr., and Terrance Mann, on a rebuilding roster in need of scoring. Cam Thomas finds himself at a fascinating crossroads, one that sets the stage for a high-stakes game off the court. The Brooklyn Nets’ restricted free agent has reportedly been aiming sky-high — whisperings suggest he’s got his sights on a near million annual payday. But here’s the kicker: that kind of check isn’t on the table. From what insiders are saying, a more realistic pitch might mirror what the Warriors dangled in front of Jonathan Kuminga — a two-year, million deal — which seems like the sweet spot to get a deal inked. Yet, when 16 league execs weighed in, most pegged Thomas’s value between to million a year, leaning toward a two-year contract for the 23-year-old sharpshooter. So here we are, with Brooklyn holding all the cards, offering just .1 million over two years, the second year being a team option — basically a very flexible, tradeable contract. Thomas is staring down a choice: bite on that or take the qualifying offer of .9 million, then test free agency next summer with no strings attached. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, if any restricted free agent would roll the dice on the qualifying offer, it’s gotta be Thomas. With an offense-hungry Brooklyn roster rebuilding around him, Michael Porter Jr., and Terrance Mann, Thomas’s knack for putting up points (24 ppg last season) makes this saga one worth watching as the offseason unfolds. The clock’s ticking — training camp looms and so does the Oct. 1 deadline. Will Thomas dial down his ambitions or gamble on his worth skyrocketing next year? It’s a messy negotiation dance, but one thing’s clear: he might just be the rare player willing to bet the farm on himself. LEARN MOREIt’s something to watch as we move into September. Thomas might be the one guy willing to make that big a bet on himself.

Thomas and his agent, Alex Saratsis, must decide whether the market for Thomas’s services will be there next summer and if he is willing to bet on it. Even at the Nets’ current offer, he would be leaving million this season on the table (a lot for a player who has yet to make more than million in a season). Is it worth the risk? Do the sides find a better compromise closer to the deadline (a player option rather than a team option for next season, or some guaranteed money on that second season)?Thomas is a restricted free agent, and there are rumors that he ideally would like a contract close to million a season. That’s not happening. League sources not tied to the negotiations told NBC Sports they think an offer closer to what the Warriors reportedly have put in front of Jonathan Kuminga — two years, million — would get a deal done. When The Athletic’s Fred Katz surveyed 16 league executives about Thomas, most said they think he’s worth between – million a season, but they only wanted to do a two-year deal for the 23 year old. Brooklyn has all the leverage here and with that has offered just two years at the mid-level exception of .1 million, with the second year of that being a team option — a very tradable contract. That leaves Thomas with the choice of taking that offer or playing for the .9 million qualifying offer, then being an unrestricted free agent next summer. NBA insider Jake Fischer said in a Bleacher Report livestream that if any restricted free agent would play for the qualifying offer, it would be Thomas.