Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas must have had one of the most difficult summers that a free-agent has seen in some time when it comes to getting the contract that he reasonably deserves. Thomas came into the 2025 NBA offseason as one of the better free-agents on the market, but he was also restricted, meaning that he had less leverage than most of the players looking for a new deal.

Thomas, 23, had the best season of his career in 2024-25 after he averaged 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 34.9% from three-point land. While Thomas had a highly-productive season for the 26-56 Nets, he also played in just 25 games as he dealt with multiple left hamstring injuries over the course of the season.

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Ultimately, Thomas was unable to get close to the $30 million per year average that he was seeking for his next contract due to some combination of his restricted status along with many teams not having cap space. After all of the negotiations, Thomas is betting on himself by accepting his $6 million qualifying offer (QO) so here are three goals for him in another pivotal year:

Continue To Improve Playmaking

Thomas has been one of the main scoring options for the Nets since the beginning of the 2023-24 season as Brooklyn was accepting the fact that the franchise was rebuilding and needed to see different things on the floor. Thomas is well-known for his scoring prowess, but last season, he also showed his improved ability to make his teammates better as he averaged a career-high 3.8 assists per game. Keeping that going can only boost his stock for free-agency next summer.

Improve Defensively

Compared to how he played during his time at LSU, Thomas has improved on the defensive end, especially as he has grown into his body and added strength to his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame. Thomas is not necessarily one of the best defensive guards at his position, but if he can get to league-average in terms of the matchups that he can stay in, Thomas has the chance to make another leap.

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Keep The Big Picture In Mind

Most players in the NBA play basketball for the love of the game and that is clear for someone like Thomas that has been working on his body and his craft since coming into the NBA as the 27th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. This offseason had to be a frustrating one for Thomas given what he has done for the past two seasons, but as long as he remembers that he can use the business of the NBA to his advantage, he should be able to get whatever he feels he deserves while keeping his reputation intact at the same time.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets 3 goals: Cam Thomas has to continue improving his playmaking