It's the end of July, and the future of the Brooklyn Nets shooting guard with the team remains uncertain with the NBA season three months away. NBA Free Agency has dwindled, and Thomas is one of the few free agents who remain unsigned.
Why the Nets not bringing back Thomas would be a huge mistake
In his four seasons since being drafted by the Nets with the 27th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Thomas has been a leader for a rebuilding Brooklyn team. Thomas led the Nets in scoring last season, averaging 24.0 points per game, 3.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds.
Not extending Thomas and letting him join a contending team next season through a sign and trade would be a huge mistake for the Nets moving forward as a rebuilding team. Brooklyn finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 26-56 record in 12th place in the Eastern Conference.
Outside of Thomas, the Nets don't have a lot of good pieces that they can rely on. Brooklyn's best remaining player from last year's roster is second-year forward Drew Timme from Gonzaga. In his rookie season, Timme averaged 12.1 points per game, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.
Cameron Johnson, Dennis Schroder, D'Angelo Russell, and Dorian Finney-Smith, who were all contributing players for the Nets last season, either left via free agency this offseason or were traded midseason at the trade deadline.
How can the Nets keep Thomas?
The first thing the Nets need to do is convince Thomas to stay by extending him to a respectable contract that he'd be willing to accept. The Nets have plenty of cap space, so extending him won't be difficult.
The Nets recently offered Thomas a $14 million contract, which was half of what he wanted to stay in Brooklyn. Respect between the two parties is at a low after the latest offer, which is why many believe that Thomas is on his way out the door.
If he were to depart, Thomas could become an impactful player on a championship-contending team and leave the Nets in a very difficult spot. The Nets need to go all-in to extend Thomas; if not, their best consolation prize is acquiring depth pieces in a sign-and-trade deal.