Why the Cleveland Cavaliers Make Sense to Sign Guard Cam Thomas

With the trade deadline now over, a potential big name joined the list of free agents available on the market.

Jan 16, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) dribbles up court against the Chicago Bulls during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Another notable name has entered the free agency market after being waived by his former team following the NBA trade deadline.

On Thursday afternoon, the Brooklyn Nets announced they would be waiving their shooting guard, Cam Thomas, allowing him to enter free agency in hopes to land with another team. Thomas, now 24 years old, could find himself a new home on a potential contender for a decent price going into the second half of the season.

This move makes sense for Brooklyn, which hasn’t had much going for it this season or in recent memory. With nothing legitimate in the cards right now for the Nets, another team—potentially a contender—could decide it would like to add the young guard to its roster for depth.

Shams Charania, an ESPN Senior NBA Insider, shared the news via social media regarding Thomas’ departure from Brooklyn.

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. pic.twitter.com/sK75uB6ZV1

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

What this Means for Cleveland

The Cavaliers have made it clear over the course of the ten days that they want to compete this season and be more than just the second-round exits they have been the last two seasons.

In the last 48 hours, Cleveland made the decision to trade their former All-Star guard Darius Garland to the Clippers in exchange for former NBA MVP James Harden. This trade was ultimately the indicator that the Cavaliers are pushing for a championship run this season, and by shedding a few other salaries off their roster, signing another player on an affordable deal could be on the horizon.

That’s where a player like Cam Thomas comes into play, who was playing on a one-year, $5.9 million deal that led people to believe he would be expendable this season either via trade or being waived by the team.

By making the trades involving Darius Garland and De’Andre Hunter, followed by Wednesday’s late window trade sending Lonzo Ball to the Utah Jazz, Cleveland was able to clear up enough salary to get them under the second apron salary cap, which was set at $207.8 million.

This could open the door for a free agent signing, specifically Cam Thomas, who is seeking a fresh start with another team. Thomas has experienced an inconsistent season, showing a noticeable decline from the level of production he provided to the team over the past few years. This season, Thomas is averaging 15 points per game, while posting 2 rebounds and assists per game, which falls short of the 24 points per game he averaged last season with Brooklyn.

With a bit of left over cap space available for Cleveland to potentially sign another player as a depth piece off the bench, the idea is that Thomas could be an affordable name to watch for in the coming weeks, especially if the Cavaliers can unlock what Thomas has shown he can do but hasn’t yet this season.

In the meantime, Cleveland finished off their busy week by showcasing two of their recent trade acquisitions, Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis, in their big 30-point victory over the Los Angeles Clippers by a score of 124-91. While newest Cavalier James Harden did not play in yesterday’s game, he is expected to make his debut for the team on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings.