
Nets pivot to asset-building, waive Cam Thomas to chase 2026 lottery talent
Brooklyn shifted from a quick-win mindset to an asset-building plan at the trade deadline, waiving Cam Thomas (and Tyrese Martin) and making several small moves to add young players (Ochai Agbaji, Hunter Tyson, Josh Minott), exchange seconds, and send cash to create cap space. They acquired six future picks (two firsts, four seconds) and ended up younger, more athletic, with a higher payroll and about $20 million in dead money this season. The strategy centers on developing talent and using cap space to pursue a generational 2026 draft pick rather than chasing immediate wins, with the aim of landing a top prospect in the lottery.【Sources summarize Nets trades and waivers as part of a long-term rebuild plan】













