In a series of moves late Wednesday afternoon, the Brooklyn Nets re-signed restricted free agent Day’Ron Sharpe to a reported two-year, $12 million deal — second year non-guaranteed — and added E.J. Liddell, a third-year, 6’6” power forward on a two-way deal. Liddell has played only 20 games with the New Orleans Pelicans and Chicago Bulls since being drafted in the second round in 2022.
Perhaps more significantly, the signings indicate that the Nets could be getting ready to finally deal with Cam
Thomas’ free agency. As noted in Monday’s Off-Season Report in a summary of free agency.
So, we should soon see more roster moves in the next week to 10 days, including more serious discussion between the team and Cam Thomas. That’s not speculation. Although the two sides are far apart, according to league sources, Thomas not not get exercised his qualifying offer. The status quo continues on that. (Emphasis ours.)
The Nets announced the two moves within a six-minute span just before 5:00 p.m. ET.
Mike Scotto of Hoopshype flushed out details on the Sharpe deal, having broken the story on Sharpe’s agreement to sign back in June…
The roster math at the moment:
- 12 players on fully guaranteed standard NBA deals: Nic Claxton, Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann, Haywood Highsmith, Noah Clowney, Dariq Whitehead and Sharpe plus the five first round picks: Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf;
- Five players on non- or partially guaranteed standard deals: Keon Johnson, Jalen Wilson, Drew Timme, Tyrese Martin and newly signed Ricky Council IV;
- One unsigned restricted free agent: Cam Thomas;
- One unsigned unrestricted free agent: Zaire Williams;
- Two two-ways: Tyson Etienne and E.J. Liddell.
The next signing may very well be Williams who reportedly agreed to a deal identical to Sharpe’s back in June and which is now likely to be paid out of the team’s $8.8 million room MLE. There had been reporting that one of the two would be paid out of cap space, the other out of the MLE. In addition, various reports have the Nets bringing on Chinese big man Fanbo Zeng, either on an Exhibit 10 or two-way contract.
That would bring the Nets total to at least 23 players, two more than permitted in training camp which begins with Media Day on September 23 and officially opens at HSS Training Center two days later. It’s been widely speculated that any cuts would likely come from the group of partial or non-guaranteed deals:
Thomas situation remains fluid. According to Jake Fischer, the Nets have only offered the fourth year sharpshooter a package in the range of two years and roughly $28 million, but with the second year, like Sharpe and Williams, a team option. He, on the other hand, is looking for more than $30 million a year. Thomas has until October 1 to exercise his qualifying offer, which would keep him on the Nets roster for another season, but at a salary of $6.0 million. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, the Nets could trade him.
Liddell was a bit of a surprise as two-way deals go. At 6’6” and 240 pounds, Liddell is seen as a power forward. A solid scorer at Ohio State, averaging 19.4 points a game in his junior year on shooting splits of 49/37/77, being named a consensus third team All-American.
However, his two years in the NBA have been a disappointment, playing only 20 games with the Pelicans and Bulls and averaging 1.3 points and 0.7 rebounds in less than four minutes per game. In G League action, Liddell put up 15.7 points on 49/32/73 shooting splits and grabbing 7.1 rebounds in 47 games. He also blocked 2.1 shots.
Here’s highlights of his best game last season for the Windy City Bulls, when he put up 31 points and hit five 3-pointers:
