NBA Cleveland Cavaliers

Failed Tristan Thompson Negotiations Put Cleveland Cavaliers in Awkward Position

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By @GregSulik

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

When LeBron James returned home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was well known that he was going to essentially be a surrogate general manager for the organization. Much like when he was with the Miami Heat, James has significant influence on personnel decisions in Cleveland. His power is a big reason why players like Kevin Love, Shawn Marion, Mike Miller, and James Jones are on the Cavs, and it is a big reason why the team’s failure to negotiate a contract extension with Tristan Thompson creates such an awkward situation.

According to reports, the Cavs and Thompson have seen negotiations stall, which is concerning because the deadline to re-sign players with expiring rookie contracts is Friday. Thompson would become a restricted free agent this offseason if the two sides fail to get a deal done by the deadline.

There are a few significant repercussions of this situation. First, the money from the new TV deal is expected to cause the salary cap in the NBA to rise significantly, taking the salary floor up with it. That means Thompson could be in for a big pay day if he were to hit free agency, so he is not going to take a cut rate deal now. However, he could get more money on the open market next summer than the Cavs are willing to pay.

The biggest concern here is that Thompson is represented by Rich Paul, LeBron’s friend, agent, and business partner. It is extremely important to note that James is on a one-year contract with a player option for next season that he is sure to decline. He has said that he is committed to the Cavs long term and that the short contract is strictly a financially motivated decision, but there is also an element of keeping his options open. If LeBron becomes unhappy with the Cavaliers’ organization, he could be out the door. Love, who also is expected to decline his player option for next season, would most likely be right behind him.

From a basketball standpoint, Thompson is important to the Cavaliers as a rebounder and low post defender, averaging 9.2 RPG last season. Given Love’s defensive struggles and Anderson Varejao’s injury history, Thompson is arguably the Cavs’ most important bench player. There are some questions about he how he will fit offensively due to his poor shooting, but his presence as the low post banger who will do the dirty work is crucial.

The two sides still have a couple days to work out a deal, and even if they don’t Cleveland could always match any offer Thompson were to receive in free agency. However, the Cavs have to be concerned about the potential side effects of failing to agree to terms with one of Paul’s clients. Keeping Thompson is a big enough issue for basketball reasons, but it becomes all the more important when the off the court ramifications are considered. I’m not saying that failing to retain Thompson will cost the Cavs James, but it is certainly an interesting situation that is worth watching.

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