Brooklyn Nets coach Jordi Fernandez during an NBA game.

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Brooklyn is moving on from one of its most recognizable young scorers.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday, Feb. 5, that the Brooklyn Nets are waiving Cam Thomas, which will allow the 24-year-old guard to enter free agency.

The Brooklyn Nets are waiving Cam Thomas, allowing the scoring guard to enter free agency, sources tell ESPN. The Nets made the decision to allow Thomas to find a new home.

Thomas has been Brooklyn’s microwave scorer for years, but this season came with uncertainty after he returned to the Nets on a one-year qualifying offer last summer.

Nets Waive Cam Thomas After Months of Trade Buzz

Charania’s report lands on a day when Brooklyn had been expected to shuffle the roster, with the trade deadline and recent roster math looming.

Brooklyn had just worked a multi-team deal to bring in guard Ochai Agbaji, a move that created a roster crunch and put the spotlight on which player might be the odd man out.

Thomas, meanwhile, had already been a name in trade chatter this season, in part because his contract situation gave him significant control and because the Nets have been balancing long-term flexibility with short-term production.

What It Means for the Nets

From a basketball standpoint, this is a loud signal about direction.

Thomas entered Thursday averaging 15.6 points per game (with 3.1 assists) in the 2025-26 season, giving Brooklyn a self-created scoring option most teams like to keep around. But the Nets have also been operating like a franchise prioritizing future assets and maneuverability, and removing Thomas from the books clears a path for more moves, more minutes for younger guards, and more lineup experimentation down the stretch.

It also closes the door on a messy contract standoff carrying into the summer. Thomas signed his one-year QO to return, a setup that positioned him to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026 if he played out the year. Waiving him accelerates that timeline.

Just a year ago, Thomas looked like one of the NBA’s most pure bucket-getters. He had just finished his second straight season scoring 20-plus points per game, including a career-high 24.0 points per game in 2024-25. That kind of volume scoring is hard to find, especially from a 24-year-old guard who can create his own shot and heat up in a hurry. Even if teams have questions about his fit, defense, or consistency, the selling point is obvious: when Thomas is rolling, he can carry stretches of offense by himself. That’s why it wouldn’t be a surprise if multiple teams kick the tires quickly once he officially hits the waiver/free-agent process. 

What It Means for Cam Thomas (And How Waivers Work)

If Thomas is officially waived, he’ll hit the NBA’s waiver process first.

Players typically sit on waivers for at least 48 hours, during which teams can place a claim; if multiple teams claim, priority goes to the team with the worst record (based on the relevant waiver order). If he clears waivers, he’s free to sign wherever he wants.

For Thomas, the appeal is simple: he’s still young, he can score in bunches, and his contract number this season was modest (roughly $6 million). The teams that need bench offense or another shot-creator—especially contenders looking for a points jolt—will at least take the meeting.

Quick context to plug in
Date of report: Feb. 5, 2026

2025-26 stat line: 15.6 PPG, 3.1 APG

Contract: one-year qualifying offer (~$6M)

Waiver window: at least 48 hours 

 

Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson

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