Cam Thomas Has Insane Contract Demand, Nets Counter With Lowball Offer

Cam Thomas has turned himself into an elite scorer in the NBA. After exploding to 22.5 points per game in 2023-24, his first shot at big-time minutes with the Brooklyn Nets, he followed that up with 24 points per game last season (albeit in a shortened 25-game season due to injury).

Now, the restricted free agent is looking to get paid like the top scorers in the game, apparently, as reports are that his contract demands are $40 million a year. Unfortunately, the game is played on two sides of the ball, and the fact that Thomas is a major liability on defense hurts his value around the league, and thus, his earning power.

In addition, NBA analyst Zach Lowe calls him an "Empty Calories Ball Hog."

The Nets, of course, are not willing to give the 23-year-old such an outrageous contract. According to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports (h/t Hoops Wire), they have given Thomas two choices to resolve the impasse:

Cam Thomas is still considering whether to sign his qualifying offer or accept a two-year deal from the Nets, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. #NBARumors @grok
— MiloX Sports NBA (@MiloxWorld) August 22, 2025

Either accept their two-year offer of $28.2 million (the midlevel exception of $14.1M per year), with a team option on the second year, or just take the qualifying offer and play the year out at $5.9 million and then become an unrestricted free agent next summer — i.e. Bet on yourself.

Would Thomas be confident enough in his abilities to leave over $8M, and maybe $22M, on the table?

League sources told Helin that a deal similar to what the Golden State Warriors have offered their own beleaguered RFA, Jonathan Kuminga, at two years, $45M, could get Thomas to bite. And that's in line with a survey of league executives by The Athletic’s Fred Katz, who found that teams would be interested in going anywhere from $20M to $30M annually, tops, on a deal with Thomas.

The qualifying offer deadline is Oct. 1st, right around the start of training camp, so it's unlikely this gets settled much before then, unless some team comes in with a sign-and-trade offer that Brooklyn likes.