cavsfan93
Years ago
Cavs and Tristan Thompson last spoke Sept 28th, with the outcome being Tristan said he would sign a 1 year qualifying offer...... The deadline for Thompson to sign the qualifying offer passed Sept. 30.
what does this mean for him and the cavs?
what does this mean for Thompson?
Isaac
Years ago
I reckon LeBron is putting pressure on Gilbert to pay up for Thompson, no matter how ridiculous it is.
AngusH
Years ago
It means TT's agent is banking on the Cavs caving in and overpaying.
I'm a Cavs fan, and I'm also a big fan of TT. But he's a luxury item. Great rebounder, very basic offense game outside of catching the lob, and not a great defender. If our frontcourt is healthy (a decent sized 'if', to be sure...), then he's a 'nice to have'. With no other suitors out there, they are nuts to overpay. The deal they offered him was more than fair.
Baller#3
Years ago
Wouldn't mind my Mavs snapping him up TBH, we need someone under 40 that isn't injured to play...
Isaac
Years ago
Are they nuts to overpay if LeBron is hypothetically saying "Give me everything I want, or there'll be another Decision." I wouldn't be surprised if he was. Gilbert was hardly kind when they parted that first time. Would've taken some promises to get him back - no being tight with the roster spend, etc.
AngusH
Years ago
I think LeBron hurt his image so much leaving the first time, and then went and repaired it so well with the way he came back, that I just don't see him holding them over the coals again like he did back then.
Ricky
Years ago
Lebron just needs to stop acting like a b!tch.
TT aint worth max, dreamin.
chewie
Years ago
@Isaac.
I agree with what you are saying, but the problem with this is that Lebron did this in some sense with Miami by endorsing a draft selection in Napier which seemed to prompt a draft day trade.
A few Ifs ands and buts in this I know, but TT isn't a max guy. Cavs will really hurt themselves with cap flexibility if they go down this route.
Im probably a little bias with this though being a huge sideshow bob fan. He is looking great in the preseason, and making TT look a little like a luxury.
AngusH
Years ago
AV is one of my favourite players, but I will be shocked if he plays 60 games this season...
Im a massive LeBron fan and want the Cavs to win the title, but i wouldnt want the Cavs to cave to either Thompson or LeBron.
I think LeBron was serious when he said he wanted to come home and set up his family in Cleveland/Akron Ohio, given the Cavs are the only gig in town i doubt he leaves. If he comes with the direct threat i say play chicken and ignore it, as he is contracted this season anyway, and if he leaves, well the Cavs are in better shape going forward than last time he left with Irving and Love signed long term. In reality they already lost him and missed out on his prime, he is still awesome and one of the best in the league, but i think his prime is past him, so wouldnt be as big of a loss this time round anyway. So i say take the risk there, if you really think he is going to leave trade him for a SF who is signed for a few seasons ie Jimmy Butler and build around them with Irving and Love, that would still be a fantastic team.
With Thompson, the dude is a back up, even if they start really bad and Love gets hurt and misses heaps of games Thompson isnt going to be the difference between them greatly improving there record. Before you demand max money how bout becoming a consistant starter and averaging 15&10 on a winning team first, so there is no way id pay him over the $80 mil offer they previously made, infact id reduce it.
I beleive the Cavs have pulled the $80 mil offer, this is how id go from here.
Use the 10.5 mil exception sign the best pf/c out there, someone like Taj Gibson who is in a deep front court would be ideal,who is on 8.5 mil, so maybe even get them to throw in Bairstow too.
Lets face it with the injury history of guys like Varejao even with Thompson signed an extra big for that 10.5 mil exception would be a good thing.
Then id offer Thompson a 5 year $65 mil deal, take it or leave it. Basically reduced to cover the spending of the extra 10.5 mil and a bit more for screwing around.
Thompson is a restricted free agent, so its obvious no other team has offered anything above the $80 mil the Cavs had on the table, else they would have taken it and forced the Cavs to match, worse case scenario is someone offers say $85 mil over 5 years, slightly more than the first offer, if so just match it, if anyone is crazy enough to give Thompson the max, just let him walk.
With Love starting at PF and playing the bulk of the minutes and guys like LeBron, Jones, Jefferson all capable of playing back up mins at PF, they can afford to lose Thompson for nothing and be just fine imo.
Thompson is a handy player, id prefer to have him on the Cavs team, but not at any cost, he just isnt worth it.
If the worse happens and they have injurys to guys like Love and a really bad record, they have bigger issues than not having Thompson and Thompson isnt good enough to be the saviour to help them win the title in those circumstances anyway.
Thats my take and how id handle it.
Teams should never sell out to ANY player, including LEBron imo, as much of a LEBron fan as i am.
billyhoyle79
Years ago
TT should have taken that 80 million and ran....def not worth a max , he is not even worth 80 million. you could find another player to give you 8 and 8 for a fraction of this money.
This would have to be the worst decision of TT life and he should fire his agent, as there is no way another team will give him the max.
The only reason that he was allowed to shine in some situations last year is because he was open / not guarded closely due to a Lebron , Irving , Love or a number of others on the floor at the same time.
if you watched him play in his first few years in the league he was a solid , maybe get you a double double each night kind of guy , prob worth around 60 mill on a 5 year deal.
Good luck Tristan , i think you will need it
Isaac
Years ago
He just got $82m over five years. More than the $80m. Cavs caved.
Isaac
Years ago
Woj:
Thompson reps kept pushing story client would sit year w/o max deal. Cavs, NBA never bought it. In end, agents caved, accepted lower deal.Wait, $82/5 is caving? He must've been asking for something even more ludicrous.
chewie
Years ago
Just looked at the figures on the Cavs roster.....holy crap they are paying some luxury tax....something like $60m + this season.
Ricky
Years ago
Now I want anyone who isn't the Cavs to win the title..
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