Overview
- Thomas called media portrayals of his game 'narratives and lies,' responding to Zach Lowe’s 'empty calories, ball hog' characterization discussed on Lowe’s podcast.
- He is returning on a one-year, $6 million qualifying offer that includes trade protection for this season and positions him for unrestricted free agency in 2026.
- Reporting indicates he declined a two-year, $30 million offer with a team option and a separate one-year proposal worth $9.5 million with incentives.
- Sean Marks said Thomas handled negotiations in a mature way and did not rule out a future in Brooklyn despite the failed talks.
- Thomas averaged 24.0 points last season but played only 25 games due to a left hamstring strain, with analytics citing low assist-to-usage and poor defensive metrics as ongoing concerns.