After a strong December, January has been an uphill battle for the Nets. They are just 2-9 so far this month and have an overall record of 12-29. That is 13th of 15 teams in the East.
One of the storylines surrounding the Nets is the SG Cam Thomas. The 24-year-old is in his fifth season with Brooklyn. According to Brian Lewis of the NY Post, “every sign is pointing” toward a divorce between the Nets and Cam Thomas. Will Brooklyn trade him ahead of the 2025-26 deadline? Or will they let him walk in unrestricted free agency this summer?
Is Cam Thomas’ fate sealed with the Nets?
The Nets and Cam Thomas are heading toward a divorce, per @NYPost_Lewis
“But eyes should be on Cam Thomas, with every sign pointing toward his time running out in Brooklyn. He’s lost his starting job, seen his playing time reduced, and neither situation seems about to change.… pic.twitter.com/g0TUx8rjmW
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 21, 2026
With the 27th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, the Nets selected Cam Thomas out of LSU. Over the first two years of his career, Thomas was primarily a bench player for Brooklyn. He averaged 9.6 points per game in his first two seasons with the Nets. However, the young SG saw an expanded role in year three. During his 2023-24 campaign, Cam Thomas averaged 22.5 points and made a career-high 51 starts.
Over five professional seasons, Thomas has appeared in 233 games and made 88 starts. Unfortunately, the last two years have been extremely challenging. In 2024-25, Cam Thomas played in 25 of the team’s 82 games and made 23 starts. He was dealing with a lingering hamstring injury for the majority of the year. Again in 2025-26, Thomas missed extended time due to a hamstring injury.
Cam Thomas is social distancing on the last seat on the #Nets bench. Doesn’t get clearer than this: pic.twitter.com/7ERBQ9O4Ld
— Josh Woolever (@JoshWoolever) January 20, 2026
Cam Thomas missed 20 consecutive games for Brooklyn this season. Brooklyn’s SG has appeared in 18 of the team’s 41 games and made eight starts. Thomas started the first eight games of 2025-26 before he suffered a hamstring injury. Upon his return, head coach Jordi Fernandez has primarily used Thomas off the bench. His role has been reduced massively, and Thomas has been frustrated not being a starter.
According to Brian Lewis of the NY Post, “every sign is pointing” toward a divorce between Cam Thomas and the Nets. Lewis mentioned the failed contract negotiations this summer between the two parties. Brooklyn was unable to sign Thomas long-term. Instead, he signed a one-year, $5.9 million qualifying offer.
While Thomas could have certainly made more, the qualifying offer allows him to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Nets could trade Thomas before that happens. Brooklyn has until the deadline on February 5 to part ways with Thomas. In mid-December, Brian Lewis reported that Cam Thomas doesn’t have a trade market. The team could be forced to hold onto Thomas and let him walk for nothing in the offseason.
