Brooklyn’s offseason salary-cap gymnastics continue.
Over the past six days, the Nets have officially re-signed center Day’Ron Sharpe and forward Ziaire Williams — two key rotation players from last season who have only begun to tap their potential.
Cam Thomas, one of the more polarizing young scoring guards in the NBA, inked a one-year, $6 million qualifying offer on Thursday to remain in Brooklyn after spending much of the offseason as a restricted free agent.
Although the deals for Sharpe and Williams were first reported at the start of free agency in June, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype later reported that both players received more money from the Nets than initially indicated. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not released.
Sharpe and Williams, both 23, will earn $12.5 million over the next two seasons, up from the $12 million originally reported. Each deal includes a team option for the second year, the Daily News confirmed.
Drafted 29th overall by the Phoenix Suns in 2021 and later traded to Brooklyn, Sharpe gave the Nets steady minutes as Nic Claxton’s backup, averaging 7.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in just 18.1 per game. He is on pace to set an NBA record with 8.7 rebounds per 100 possessions.
Williams, acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies last summer along with a 2030 second-round pick, turned in his most productive season yet. In 63 games, he averaged 10.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting a career-best 34.1% from 3-point range. He also showed defensive growth, often drawing the opponent’s top assignment and applying full-court pressure, solidifying his place in Brooklyn’s rotation.
The Nets declined to extend qualifying offers to Sharpe and Williams at the start of free agency, allowing both to enter the market as unrestricted free agents while the team maintained their Bird Rights. By sidestepping cap holds of about $6 million for Sharpe and $8 million for Williams, Brooklyn created valuable flexibility to chase salary-dump deals and other roster moves later in the offseason.
For both players, the modest pay bump was a gesture of goodwill after they waited for their deals to be finalized while the Nets worked the market. The team-friendly contracts also preserved Brooklyn’s salary-cap flexibility, in line with its broader offseason strategy.
With Sharpe and Williams signed, the Nets have $16.1 million in cap space and sit $649K below the league’s salary floor, which must be met by opening night.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Brooklyn could free up as much as $24.5 million by waiving its non or partially guaranteed contracts but doing so would also require three roster cuts before the season begins.
