For the first time since the offseason began (and is about to end), there’s movement in the Cleveland Cavaliers – Tristan Thompson front. The player has slightly lowered his demands which were unreasonable and unrealistic in the first place.
Thompson has been asking for a five-year, $94 million deal from the get go, the max for a player in his situation; staying with his own team and four years in the league. But the Cavaliers weren’t going higher than $80 million for five years. With Thompson being a restricted free agent, it seemed that signing a qualifying offer ($6.8 million) and becoming a free agent in 2016.
But the Cavaliers have called Thompson’s bluff, or his agent’s claims that he has teams lining up to sign Thompson for the new max in a year. Based on his numbers, position and ability, it just doesn’t make sense to throw so much money at him. He’s a good, useful player, but with a lot of flaws and limitations. Not one a team should commit so much money to.
So now Thompson is budging. Lowering his demand by a bit. His time with the team to. The Thompson team is now asking for $53 million over three years. That’s just under $18 million, meaning he’s asking for $1 million less per year. The Cavaliers have not yet agreed to the new conditions, but if someone’s looking for middle ground, this is it.
Thompson has averaged 10.1 points and 8.4 rebounds in four years with the Cavaliers. Last season in the playoffs, with more minutes thanks to other injuries, he averaged 9.6 points and 10.8 rebounds.