Restricted free agent Cam Thomas finally accepted his qualifying offer from the Brooklyn Nets after a standoff that has lasted the entire summer. Thomas did not receive anywhere close to the money that he wanted but is willing to bet on himself in the unrestricted free agent market next year. Some have drawn comparisons between Thomas’ situation and Jaden Ivey’s precarious contract position, but the Pistons cannot afford to make the same mistakes as the Nets.
Detroit Pistons: On the Clock to Win
By next summer, the Pistons should be on the upwards trajectory towards true contention. It’ll be another year for Cade Cunningham to prove he’s a top player in the league, and another year for the other young players around him to develop.
The Pistons are expecting more success this season than last, both in the regular season and the playoffs. Hopefully in a year’s time, they will be looking for moves to take them over the hump and compete for a championship or at least conference title.
That would place them in an entirely different stratosphere than the Nets this offseason. Nowhere will that be more obvious than in bargaining fallout with a restricted free agent. This year, the Nets could afford to spend the summer going back and forth with Thomas because they don’t plan on winning many games next season.
But next summer, the Pistons can’t have the rest of their offseason held up in talks with Ivey. Instead, they will need to make competitive offers to marquee free agents or put together trade packages for key targets. Their franchise centerpiece will be waiting to see how they can put together the best team possible around him.
Also, Ivey will probably be flat out better than Thomas by then. I’ve covered before why I think Ivey is a better fit for the Pistons right now than Thomas, but I fully expect the difference to be clear by next offseason.
Ivey has shown an impressive ability to play in different roles, both as the primary ball handler and off the ball with Cade, that Thomas has never displayed. Additionally, Ivey has been more willing to compete on the defensive end which contributes to the Pistons’ success as well.
Next offseason, more teams will have cap space and I wouldn’t be surprised to see one toss a bag at Ivey if he is a restricted free agent. The Pistons would be making a mistake ever letting him get to that point, and they’ll likely find out the consequences if they do.