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Nets send Cam Thomas to RFA, let 2 contributors hit open market
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- Nets send Cam Thomas to RFA, let 2 contributors hit open market
The post Nets send Cam Thomas to RFA, let 2 contributors hit open market appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Brooklyn Nets made decisions on several free agents on Sunday. They extended a qualifying offer to Cam Thomas , but not to Day'Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams , league sources confirmed to ClutchPoints. Thomas is now a restricted free agent, while Sharpe and Williams are unrestricted.
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Thomas emerged as Brooklyn's leading scorer over the last two seasons, averaging 22.9 points on 44/36/86 shooting splits over 91 appearances. As the NBA's only team with cap space, the Nets hold significant leverage in negotiations with the 23-year-old. Opposing teams seeking to sign Thomas to an offer sheet will be limited to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1 million).
League sources have told ClutchPoints they expect Thomas' next deal to fall within the range of $20-$25 million annually. Brooklyn has the right to match any offer made to the former first-round pick. Because the Nets retained Thomas' bird rights by tendering him a qualifying offer, they can exceed the cap to re-sign him after utilizing their cap space.
Nets make free agent decisions on Cam Thomas, Day'Ron Sharpe, Ziaire Williams
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Sharpe and Williams will hit the open market after the Nets declined to tender them qualifying offers. However, Brooklyn is interested in bringing back both players on new deals, league sources told ClutchPoints.
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By renouncing Sharpe and Williams' rights, the Nets added to their cap space. Sharpe had a $12 million cap hold, a number assigned to a team's books that acts as a placeholder for free agents, while Williams' was $18.4 million. Had the Nets tendered qualifying offers to both players, those holds would have counted against their cap space.
Williams' annual salary on his new contract will fall well below his cap hold, making it logical for Brooklyn to rescind his rights.
Sharpe's next salary could approach $12 million. However, with over $45 million in cap space, the Nets can afford to let him test the market. They can beat any offer made to the fourth-year center, who has voiced a desire to remain in Brooklyn .
The Nets can use their added cap flexibility to absorb salary dumps in return for draft capital. They made such a move on Tuesday, acquiring Terance Mann and the No. 22 pick in the draft from the Atlanta Hawks . Brooklyn could also use its space to sign other free agents.
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Free agency opens on Monday at 6 PM EST.
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