Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas made headlines this offseason for an expletive Twitter rant directed at NBA Analyst Zach Lowe. The posts came after Lowe said during a podcast that the consensus on Thomas around the league was “empty calories, ball hog.”
On Tuesday, ClutchPoints asked Thomas about his strong reaction to the persistent narrative surrounding his game.
“I think people just want to have something to talk about. Because last year, when I was out there playing, we were the sixth or seventh seed in the East, and everybody wanted us to lose and tank. So that’s not really a fair fact that you could give out about the way I play,” Thomas replied. “Plus, I think it was just people wanting to get clicks during the offseason. There wasn’t much going on, so they just wanted to bring me up in that aspect. I didn’t really put too much into it.
“But at the same time, it gets frustrating, whether you want to admit it or not, that people keep trying to spread these narratives and lies about you that just aren’t true without actually looking at the facts and watching our games. Because I’m just being honest, I’m pretty sure not many people watched the Nets last year who were actually commenting on the situation. So I think that’s what really was not understood to me. Because I think if you’re not really watching our games, then you can’t really speak on how I’m playing.”
Asked Cam Thomas about his response to Zach Lowe and the "empty calories, ball hog" narrative around the league:
“It gets frustrating, whether you want to admit it or not, that people keep trying to spread these narratives and lies about you that just aren’t true without… pic.twitter.com/exEXj9TKRR
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) September 23, 2025
Thomas has flashed elite scoring ability with Brooklyn since entering the NBA. He averaged 22.9 points on 44/36/86 shooting splits across 91 appearances over the last two seasons. However, concerns about his defense and playmaking have often overshadowed his scoring contributions.
Thomas posted a 0.66 assist-to-usage ratio last season, ranking in the ninth percentile among combo guards, per CleaningTheGlass. His 120.6 defensive rating was third-worst in the entire NBA among players who averaged at least 25 minutes per game.
Cam Thomas entering prove-it season with Nets after failed contract negotiation
Those deficiencies have led many NBA executives to question his viability as a starter in a playoff-caliber rotation. The Nets' front office appears to be among those not sold on Thomas.
Brooklyn's highest offer to its leading scorer was a two-year, $30 million deal with a team option in the second season. Thomas declined and accepted his one-year, $6 million qualifying offer, giving him a no-trade clause this season ahead of unrestricted free agency next summer.
“His side is going to see it from one side and look out for the best interests of Cam. And we're going to look out for the best interests of the organization and flexibility moving forward,” Nets General Manager Sean Marks said of the failed negotiation. “It was handled behind closed doors and in a very mature manner from both sides, very upfront, very honest, very transparent. I think he has a chip on his shoulder, like he always has. That's the way he plays. So we expect nothing else than for him to go out there and compete.
“I think Cam coming off a bit of an injury-plagued season last season obviously didn't help him. I think he wants to come out and prove that he can stay robust and healthy. And I think the work that we've seen so far this summer would allude to just that.”
While the Nets refused to dip into their pockets to retain Thomas, other teams have made significant offers to restricted free agents. Josh Giddey signed a four-year, $100 million contract with the Chicago Bulls. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors have offered Jonathan Kuminga a three-year, $75.2 million deal with a team option on the third season, according to ESPN.
Thomas was asked on Tuesday whether he feels he needs to make any changes to his game to secure a lucrative, long-term contract.
“No,” he confidently replied. “Just keep doing what I’m doing. It’s the business aspect, and it’s tough, but at the end of the day, I’m just happy to be back, happy to be playing in front of everybody again. I'm definitely happy to be here and I’m ready to go.”
He was also asked about his feelings on other restricted free agents receiving larger contract offers.
“I don’t care. They can get what they want. It’s not my situation. My situation is different from everybody's. Everybody’s situation is different,” Thomas said. “So I’m just gonna deal with what I gotta deal with this year. The big thing for me was just controlling my free agency and controlling this year coming up. Just keeping, essentially, that power I have as a player in that qualifying offer. So just gonna deal with that and finish the year out and really just enjoy my fifth year here.”
