Cam Thomas has signed the qualifying offer with the Nets, meaning his time in Brooklyn is likely coming to an end. Thomas is betting on himself in unrestricted free agency next offseason. The Portland Trail Blazers are one of at least ten teams projected to have significant cap space in the summer of 2026, giving them a golden opportunity to land Thomas.
Perhaps he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to come over to Portland prior to February's trade deadline as well. If that does happen, the Blazers wouldn't have to sacrifice many valuable assets to acquire him, as the alternative for Brooklyn would be to let him walk for nothing this summer.
But regardless of the specific route, the Blazers should pursue Thomas as an ideal replacement for the departed Anfernee Simons.
Blazers should target Cam Thomas to fill Anfernee Simons' offensive void
They are set to be an elite defense next season, but that can only get them so far in the loaded Western Conference. Portland desperately needs more playmaking and scoring, as its mediocre offense will only get worse with Simons out of the picture.
Thomas averaged 24.0 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds on 44/35/88 shooting splits last season with the Nets. He's not quite the same level of playmaker as Simons, who had the best assist-to-turnover ratio on Portland's roster. Still, there are similarities between the two undersized, offensive-minded guards in terms of their microwave scoring and ability to singlehandedly take over games.
Portland still needs to find another long-term solution in the backcourt as Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard are both 35 and nearing the final years of their career. Thomas, 23, is a perfect fit for Portland's rebuilding timeline and would complement Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe as a combo guard.
Of course, this all depends on what Thomas' actual value is next summer. He is currently overvaluing himself, which is why this situation is happening in the first place. But Thomas will be forced to accept the harsh reality that score-first players aren't being prioritized in the market. The fact that Thomas had to settle for a $6 million qualifying offer and the Boston Celtics are struggling to find trade value for Simons goes to show how little the market values these player archetypes. That could benefit Portland in negotiations with Thomas, which would provide more financial flexibility to retain their young core.