Following a failed contract negotiation with the Brooklyn Nets last summer, Cam Thomas is searching for a long-term NBA home. The 24-year-old is headed for unrestricted free agency and faces an uncertain future with the Brooklyn Nets.

Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant implored an NBA team to build around his polarizing former teammate.

“I feel like Cam has a bright, bright future. It just takes somebody to believe in his talent and his skill,” Durant said on Thursday after Houston's 120-96 win over Brooklyn. “Scorers and guys that score the basketball at a high rate, they get taken for granted in this league a bit. We’re so used to loving defenders and playmakers and guys that can be connectors. Sometimes, scorers get taken for granted. So hopefully somebody takes a chance on Cam and gives him what he deserves and puts the ball in his hands and builds around him and lets him grow into a player. What is he, 24? He's still got a lot of time in the league to keep getting better. Hopefully, a team puts some trust in him.”

While a talented scorer, Thomas has had little market in trades or free agency thus far in his career. That's primarily due to his limitations as a defender, passer and rebounder.

Kevin Durant shares opinion on Cam Thomas' NBA future

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) is guarded by Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) during the first half at Barclays Center.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

However, Durant feels the Nets' instability has held Thomas back since the young guard cracked the rotation during his third season (2023-24).

“Playing with more seasoned, veteran players [is the next step for Cam]. I think the turnover on the roster since I left, Kyrie left, has been, you know, turnover,” Durant continued. “Every year, you might have four, five new two-ways, rookies, free agency guys. There's no continuity. I think having Jordi here for the second year now is helping. I think that continuity is key. You got a different coach, a different set of players, and you drafted five new players this year. You throw them into the rotation, it's gonna take some time for everybody to figure themselves out, especially a young group. So I feel like he's had a new, young group every year. It's tough for anybody.

“Coaches, the GMs, the assistant coaches, they're all trying to figure out the best way to play, and I think Cam is just stuck in that right now. He's the biggest name, he scores the most, so he's gonna take all the blame for everything. But once you take a deep dive into what this team is trying to do and this franchise is trying to do, you see some great talent along the roster and guys that are just trying to figure it out. So Cam's one of those guys.”

Thomas has averaged 22.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.0 turnovers per game on .441/.359/.865 shooting splits over 102 appearances the last three seasons. While he's shown elite scoring flashes, he consistently ranks towards the bottom of the league's guards in potential assists and defensive rating.

Before the season, ClutchPoints asked Thomas whether he would adjust his playstyle to secure a long-term contract.

“No. Just keep doing what I’m doing,” he replied.

Thomas has stayed true to his word. He has the second-lowest assist-to-usage ratio (0.53) among 54 guards posting above a 22 percent usage rate this season, per CleaningTheGlass. His +8.7 defensive rating swing is the worst on the Nets and the seventh-worst among 84 guards who have played over 250 minutes.

Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez has consistently called for improvement from Thomas in those areas. He continued to do so after the fifth-year guard scored 21 points with one assist and four turnovers during Thursday's loss to Houston.

“Good scoring punch with the minutes that he’s playing… Obviously, his superpower is his scoring. But once again, I need better defense, I need better playmaking,” Fernandez said of Thomas' performance.

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The loss marked Thomas' third game back following a two-month absence due to a hamstring injury. He injured the same hamstring three times last season, limiting him to just 25 games.

Given Thomas' uncertain future and the Nets' improvement following his latest injury, it was unclear whether they would re-insert him into the rotation once healthy. They've done so in a bench role over the last three games.

Thomas came off the bench on Thursday despite three starters — Michael Porter Jr., Egor Demin and Terance Mann — missing the game. When asked if he was frustrated with his bench role and the starters' struggles during the shorthanded, blowout loss, Thomas had little to say.

“No comment,” he replied with a smile.

Given the Nets' strategy of drafting sizable, pass-first players in this year's class, it's not surprising they declined to extend a significant, long-term contract to Thomas. Brooklyn's highest offer to the guard was a two-year, $30 million deal featuring a team option.

Following the draft, Sean Marks was transparent about the attributes Brooklyn's front office is looking for in players.

“It's 0.5 [second] basketball, you catch and make a decision, you don’t hold the ball… It's where the NBA is going: guys who can play multiple positions, guard multiple positions, and make it hard on the defense,” the GM said.

The rest of the NBA has embraced a similar thought process, limiting the market for score-first guards like Thomas last summer. The Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz had to attach assets to move Anfernee Simons and Colin Sexton, respectively. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat had to give up only Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson to acquire Norman Powell.

With Thomas destined for free agency and the Nets attempting to find minutes for five rookies, a midseason trade could be on the horizon. Given Thomas' no-trade clause, Brooklyn would have to work with his representation to find a new home.

Whether another team shares Durant's enthusiasm for Thomas' skill set and offers the young guard a featured role remains to be seen.