Brooklyn Nets and Cam Thomas, Sharpe, Williams Do Not Agree to Rookie Contract Extensions

The Nets are projected to have the most cap space of any NBA team for the 2025/26 season.

Apr 10, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) handles the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Cam Thomas, Day'Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams will become restricted free agents after this season after not agreeing to rookie-scale extensions with the Brooklyn Nets. 

Thomas, the Nets’ top scorer last season, will garner the most attention. The former LSU guard is again expected to lead Brooklyn in scoring this season, although he will have to adjust to the demands of first-year head coach Jordi Fernández’s new system. That will seemingly prioritize less dribbles and better shots for Thomas.

"I'm not really going to change what I do," he said on Nets media day. "I'm just gonna make it more efficient within the offense."

Sharpe and Williams also did not extend with the Nets prior to Monday’s deadline. Sharpe was drafted in 2021 and is entering his fourth season with the team. Williams, 23 years old, was acquired through a trade with Memphis this summer and has played an important role in Fernández’s preseason.

In turn, the Nets are currently projected to have the most cap space of any NBA organization ahead of the 2025-26 season, per Spotrac. This is a vital step in the rebuild that general manager Sean Marks is leading. Other teams in recent memory, like the Philadelphia 76ers with Tyrese Maxey, have opted to delay their rookie-scale extensions for a year in order to maximize their roster flexibility.

Only Nic Claxton, Cam Johnson and Shake Milton are locked down for next season. The former appears untouchable for now but Johnson, as has been the case since he arrived in Brooklyn, could be traded if the right offer arrives. Milton is on a minuscule deal.

Meanwhile, Dorian Finney-Smith has a player option available to him at the end of this season, which he could choose to pick up. If so, the former Dallas forward is estimated to take up about 9.9% of Brooklyn's cap.

Around the league, there was also some rookie-scale extension news worth monitoring for Brooklyn — both for how the market looks and for which players will or won’t be available next summer. The Nets will have the most cap space of any NBA team, but free agency does not look stacked right now.

In Houston, Jalen Green signed a three-year, $106 million extension with a groundbreaking player option in the third season. Trey Murphy signed for four years, $112 million in New Orleans. Franz Wagner extended for five years, $224 million with the Orlando Magic. 

In the next tier of extensions, Corey Kispert stayed with the Washington Wizards for $54 million over four years. Jaden Hardy came to terms with the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year, $18 million deal. 

However, some players with interesting upside did not resolve their contractual situations with their respective teams. They could represent offer sheet opportunities for Brooklyn next summer, when the Nets will be the only team “to have more than $30 million to sign a restricted free agent to an offer sheet,” per ESPN’s Sean Marks.

Players in the next restricted free agent class include Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors), Josh Giddey (Chicago Bulls), Santi Aldama (Memphis Grizzlies), Quentin Grimes (Dallas), Tre Mann (Charlotte Hornets), Davion Mitchell (Toronto Raptors) or Isaiah Jackson (Indiana Pacers).

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