CBS Sports’ James Herbert named six NBA teams with the most offseason work left to do. Among the bunch was the Brooklyn Nets.
Brooklyn started its offseason by using a good portion of its cap space, absorbing the contracts of Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann and the draft pick that would become Drake Powell. There is still more money needed to be used this summer, and how much they have left will depend on the outcome of the Cam Thomas situation.
The Nets have appeared unwilling to pay him more than $14.1 million per year, less than half of what Thomas reportedly desires.
The next significant moves the Brooklyn Nets made during the offseason involved agreeing to two-year contracts with Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams. However, the players have not officially re-signed just yet. Herbert explained the outcome where the Nets exit the Thomas situation with the most cap space possible.
“In theory, if one of them signs with the room exception and Thomas accepts the qualifying offer, Brooklyn could have almost $37 million of cap space,” Herbert explained. “But that would require the team to cut all of the players signed to non-guaranteed deals.”
This would involve parting ways with Keon Johnson, Jalen Wilson, Tyrese Martin and Drew Timme. All four players are young and could be part of the Nets’ long-term strategy.
In any scenario where Thomas returns to Brooklyn, these players will be likely cut candidates.
“Including Sharpe and Williams (and excluding Thomas), the Nets have 16 players on the roster,” Herbert said. “If they take on more ‘bad’ money from other teams, they could have more than that.”
The Thomas dilemma has a chokehold over how the rest of Brooklyn’s summer will play out. Then, once the roster is finally set in stone, the Nets will have to find a way to develop their youth evenly.
