Does Cam Thomas Bring the Nets Any Trade Value As the Deadline Nears?

Brooklyn's homegrown shooting guard is in a tough spot right now, with all signs pointing toward a departure. The question is, will it happen before Feb. 5?

Jan 14, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

With the NBA trade deadline less than two weeks away, the buzz regarding the Brooklyn Nets has almost exclusively been toward Michael Porter Jr., who is in the midst of an All-Star-caliber season. While he has been uber efficient in scoring at a high volume, he isn't the only player on the team garnering rumors.

Porter is averaging 25.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game on 48-39-85 shooting splits, which has a number of teams interested ahead of Feb. 5. But Brooklyn's second-leading scorer, Cam Thomas, has also been rumored to be heading toward a divorce with the team, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

At this point, the percentage of Nets fans who believe Thomas is still a star has become a minority. The 24-year-old is averaging 16.2 points per game on 39.5% shooting from the field, the worst production since the 2022-23 season. Thomas has been dealing with injuries, but it's clear: he's a net negative for a young, rebuilding situation.

It's simple for Brooklyn fans to sit on the surface and call for the team to simply trade him, but things are complicated with the deadline nearing. For one, Thomas has a no-trade clause on his $6 million qualifying offer taken over the summer. He would have to approve of any suitor willing to go after him, but there aren't any teams with reported interest.

The critics have long questioned Thomas's efficiency and skills outside of pure scoring. He is certainly talented in that facet of the game, but nowadays, a league built on roles already has enough bucket-betters. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard has shown a lack of ability when it comes to defense and facilitation.

So that leaves us wondering, what is Cam Thomas's trade value? Given his play style, recent injuries and the fact that he's set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason, it's not high at all. Sure, organizations were operating around the apron levels last summer, but it's hard to believe that's the only reason he didn't receive any free agency interest from other teams.

Thomas and the Nets are headed for separation, but unless Brooklyn is quietly working to move him, or a team arises as a suitor with interest, the 2021 first-round pick is more likely to depart via free agency. Unfortunately, there are just too many concerns regarding his effect on winning basketball.