The Cleveland Cavaliers watched from afar as the league's restricted free agents negotiated with their teams long into the summer. At long last, Cam Thomas and the Booklyn Nets came to a resolution -- but not on a new deal. And it's evidence that the Cavaliers made the exact right move a few seasons ago.
The league had a quartet of restricted free agents still languishing on the vine, and Thomas was the first one to pull the plug. With no teams around the league holding onto cap space -- other than the Nets themselves -- there was no way for Thomas to gain leverage for a new deal.