A day after not giving Day’Ron Sharpe or Ziaire Williams qualifying offers — letting them briefly become unrestricted free agents — the Nets agreed to re-sign both Monday, and on team-friendly deals that will help their offseason.
Sharpe and Williams each agreed to two-year, $12 million contracts, with the Nets holding team options in the second year of each deal.
That’s far less than the pair were expected to sign for, a salary cap savings that Nets general manager Sean Marks can use.
If the Nets had tendered qualifying offers to Sharpe ($5.98 million) and Williams ($8.35 million) to make them restricted free agents, the combined cap holds for both would have actually been $30 million. The danger is Williams likely would’ve immediately signed the qualifying offer, while Sharpe’s cap hold of $12 million would’ve tied up the Nets’ other business.
Observers around the league expected Sharpe to eventually sign a deal for slightly less than that cap hold amount. Instead, his deals — simultaneously reported by ESPN and Hoopshype, and confirmed by The Post — came in for half.
The 23-year-old Sharpe is on pace to have the most rebounds per 100 possessions in NBA history (8.7). With the value of extra possessions on display this postseason, Brooklyn was intent on retaining their free agent big man.
The Nets also re-signed Williams, a former lottery pick whom they acquired last offseason from Memphis as a salary dump. Essentially part of the Mikal Bridges trade, the defensive-minded forward averaged 10 points and 4.3 rebounds in 63 appearances while frequently taking the toughest defensive assignment.
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Free agency officially started at 6 p.m. on Monday, with the Nets still holding a league-high $34 million in cap space and having to spend that amount by opening night just to get to the mandated floor. They could clear up to $42 million if needed by waiving the non-guaranteed contracts of Keon Johnson, Tyrese Martin, Drew Timme and Jalen Wilson.
Brooklyn — which has $105 million in projected salary, including its five first-round picks — is expected to use that cap space to land assets by absorbing salary dumps rather than pursuing impact free agents.
The Nets will still look to keep restricted free agent Cam Thomas. The shooting guard averaged a team-high 24.0 points and career-best 3.8 assists this past season, albeit limited to just 25 games due to hamstring injuries.
“It’s a business. But at the end of the day, I’d love to be back. I was drafted here, so I definitely have a connection,” Thomas said in March. “But whatever happens, happens. I’m gonna let my agents and the front office discuss that. We should be good, though. I’m very confident and happy to be back, if I am back. So we’ll see.”
By making Thomas restricted, the Nets can go over the salary cap to match any offer sheet he signs with another team to retain the 23-year-old. The question is just what kind of offer the polarizing scorer might get, with league front office personnel divided as to what his value is.
Some that spoke with The Post opined Thomas will earn over $20 million annually. ESPN Insider and former Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks suggested over the weekend that he could re-sign in Brooklyn for three years and $54 million.
“What is his number in free agency? Is it 20-ish, or somewhere around there? Consider it comparable to the Anfernee Simons contract that he signed about three years ago,” Marks had said earlier. “Remember, Brooklyn has the right to match any offer sheet. You have leverage in the process until a team comes in with money, and who is that team going to be?”
The Athletic linked unrestricted free agent De’Anthony Melton — who didn’t play last season after suffering a torn ACL — with the Lakers. Unrestricted free agent D’Angelo Russell signed a two-year, $13 million deal with Dallas, per ESPN.
