Why Cam Thomas Shouldn’t Compare His Market to Tyler Herro, Jalen Green or Immanuel Quickley

Every NBA offseason, the cliché adage "it's a business" always ends up proving true. Regardless of the year, business-minded moves and/or requests are made, reaffirming that basketball isn't the lone driving force behind the league; money is as well.

This year, Cam Thomas' has embodied "it's a business."

He's only 23 years old, just averaged over 24 points per game and is available to negotiate with any NBA franchise. Yet, there's little to no interest in Thomas, even from his own team. Why is that? "It's a business."

Thomas is aligning himself with the likes of Jalen Green, Tyler Herro and Immanuel Quickley, per NetsDaily, in an attempt to justify his asking price. He now reportedly wants over $30 million annually—potentially closer to $40 million—based on the contracts the aforementioned trio were granted.

Green is owed $33.5 million in 2025-26. Herro will be collecting $31 million, while Quickly earns $32.5 million. Those three combined boast just one All-Star nod, which came from Herro last season.

Just because they managed to trick their franchises into paying them top dollar doesn't mean Thomas will be successful in doing the same to Brooklyn. The franchises that inked those original extensions made mistakes, even though each player does offer intrigue in their own way. However, no one can really fault Thomas because "it's a business."

Another prime example of the business antics is what the Nets have been willing to offer Thomas. While a near-$40 million asking price is somewhat ludicrous, handing a 23-year-old who is one of the best isolation scorers in basketball a sub-$15 million average annual value (AAV) could be viewed as insulting. But, "it's a business."

Eventually, the two sides will have to find some sort of common ground—because there's a good chance this saga doesn't come to an end this summer. Even if Thomas plays next season on the qualifying offer, he'll hit the open market next offseason just to find out that no one—besides Brooklyn—has enough cap space to offer him what he desires.

It would be advantageous for both Thomas and the Nets to figure this out. The former gets long-term security at a fair salary, while the latter retains a vital, foundational piece as it continues navigating a complete rebuild. On paper, that logic makes complete sense, but it's ultimately up to the parties involved to get this thing done.

Hence the cliché: "it's a business."