The first domino of restricted free agency has fallen.
Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Cam Thomas has accepted his one-year, $6 million qualifying offer to return to the Brooklyn Nets for the 2025-26 season. He and the Nets were unable to reach a long-term agreement. Brooklyn presented offers, including a two-year, $30 million contract with a team option for the second year, and a one-year, $9.5 million deal with incentives of up to $11 million, excluding a no-trade clause.
Thomas has chosen to bet on himself. He essentially holds a no-trade clause by opting into his qualifying offer and will enter unrestricted free agency next year. Thomas would then have the opportunity to seek out a more lucrative contract without Brooklyn’s intervention.
How does Grimes tie into this?
Thomas was the first restricted free agent out of Quentin Grimes, Jonathan Kuminga, and Josh Giddey to re-sign. The NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement has tarnished its middle class by implementing the second tax apron. Teams are now unmotivated to break the bank on players that are above role player status, but aren’t all-star caliber. This is why players such as Grimes have reached stalemates in their respective negotiations.
The 76ers have no incentive to offer Grimes a substantial amount of money because his market is practically nonexistent. Meanwhile, his management continues to scour the rest of the league with hopes that a team can scrounge up money to make a compelling offer. Since restricted free agency is in disarray, no team can do so.
Perhaps Thomas’ gutsy decision will set the standard for his peers. However, Grimes has more of a reason to seek a long-term deal with the 76ers rather than accept his $8.7 million qualifying offer.
Philadelphia already has a loaded back-court, which features Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and V.J. Edgecombe. There’s a chance that McCain and, or Edgecombe could ascend and reduce Grimes’ role in the process. If Grimes uses his qualifying offer, this would be a nightmare. His free agency options would likely be limited the following offseason and he’d essentially cost himself millions of dollars.
What’s next?
Both parties will inevitably agree to a new contract in some capacity – barring any unforeseen event. It’s just a matter of time.
“I think at the end of the day, as things get closer, as we get into September and maybe even closer to October, that there will be enough synergy between Grimes and the Sixers because he’s never made significant money throughout his tenure as an NBA player,” said Jake Fischer on The Stein Line in August. “He absolutely stands to benefit from taking a significant offer, whatever it ends up being from Philadelphia.”