Tristan Thompson Discussion

[gustofwind]

I'm not sure employing the nuclear option, which is what I outlined above, is doing the right thing at this stage in the negotiations. If TT is watching his teammates play without him for a month and that doesn't change his mind, then I might feel differently. I believe that deep down, TT isn't prepared to sacrifice $80 million and a chance at a ring in order to make a name for his agents. I could be wrong.

Why is trading Thompson so unthinkable? GMs have traded players for far less. If the concern is LeBron, it shouldn't be. If I were the Cavs, I would assume LeBron is loyal to the Cavs and isn't some sleazy opportunist. If he is a sleazy opportunist, I wouldn't want to win a championship with him anyway.

In fact, maybe I'm wrong, but I assume at this point that a trade is the most likely ending to this saga. Unfortunately, Thompson is hurting his trade value with his conduct.

I'm not convinced they can trade him both for logistical reasons and practical ones. He's not under contract, the Cavs are over the apron, and he'd have to agree to a S&T. Setting that aside, another team would have to be thinking TT on a max contract - sure where do I sign up. The Cavs would just have to renounce his rights, use their TPE, and add a pick.

Oh, OK, I better understand now what you were saying.

Still, don't you think it would help move matters along if Cavs front office approached Thompson and said they could not meet his demands and asked him where he wanted to be traded? A sign and trade is by no means an insult to Thompson. If the Cavs can't make him happy, they need him as an asset. A trade would benefit both parties. Unless, of course, Thompson badly wanted to stay in Cleveland, in which case he is bluffing and has no leverage.

On a side note, I have to ask, do you honestly want someone of Thompson's character on your team anymore? His behavior has been so repellent that, anything short of a very serious genuine apology, I couldn't root for him anymore. If I were the Cavs, I would only consider options involving a trade at this point.

[Cutter]

Id like to see the Cavs pull the 80/5 offer and offer him a more sustainable offer of 50/5. When you look at his production as a back up he is worth about $10 mill per year, even in an inflated era of inflated payroll.

This would help the Cavs tremendously to sign him to this type of contract.

[gustofwind]

Id like to see the Cavs pull the 80/5 offer and offer him a more sustainable offer of 50/5. When you look at his production as a back up he is worth about $10 mill per year, even in an inflated era of inflated payroll.

This would help the Cavs tremendously to sign him to this type of contract.

I agree, they need to change the dynamic of the discussion. Given that Thompson no longer has the leverage of the qualifying offer, the Cavs should lower their options.

[jbk1234]

Why is trading Thompson so unthinkable? GMs have traded players for far less. If the concern is LeBron, it shouldn't be. If I were the Cavs, I would assume LeBron is loyal to the Cavs and isn't some sleazy opportunist. If he is a sleazy opportunist, I wouldn't want to win a championship with him anyway.

In fact, maybe I'm wrong, but I assume at this point that a trade is the most likely ending to this saga. Unfortunately, Thompson is hurting his trade value with his conduct.

I'm not convinced they can trade him both for logistical reasons and practical ones. He's not under contract, the Cavs are over the apron, and he'd have to agree to a S&T. Setting that aside, another team would have to be thinking TT on a max contract - sure where do I sign up. The Cavs would just have to renounce his rights, use their TPE, and add a pick.

Oh, OK, I better understand now what you were saying.

Still, don't you think it would help move matters along if Cavs front office approached Thompson and said they could not meet his demands and asked him where he wanted to be traded? A sign and trade is by no means an insult to Thompson. If the Cavs can't make him happy, they need him as an asset. A trade would benefit both parties. Unless, of course, Thompson badly wanted to stay in Cleveland, in which case he is bluffing and has no leverage.

On a side note, I have to ask, do you honestly want someone of Thompson's character on your team anymore? His behavior has been so repellent that, anything short of a very serious genuine apology, I couldn't root for him anymore. If I were the Cavs, I would only consider options involving a trade at this point.

I think if TT were really considering playing elsewhere, he would have signed the Q.O. You could go to his agents and say find me one team in the league who is willing to pay TT the max in a S&T and we'll take your position seriously. Then, assuming they could find that team, you could call say fine we're trading him. They'd tell LBJ that TT was about to be traded and it would be a **** show.

As far as wanting TT back, I don't know how much of this is TT and how much of this is his agents. I want to believe this is his agents and that he's going to come to senses. But if I'm being really honest, if TT and LBJ weren't close, I would have renounced his rights after he failed to sign the Q.O. because I don't think he's worth what he already turned down.

[gustofwind]

I'm not convinced they can trade him both for logistical reasons and practical ones. He's not under contract, the Cavs are over the apron, and he'd have to agree to a S&T. Setting that aside, another team would have to be thinking TT on a max contract - sure where do I sign up. The Cavs would just have to renounce his rights, use their TPE, and add a pick.

Oh, OK, I better understand now what you were saying.

Still, don't you think it would help move matters along if Cavs front office approached Thompson and said they could not meet his demands and asked him where he wanted to be traded? A sign and trade is by no means an insult to Thompson. If the Cavs can't make him happy, they need him as an asset. A trade would benefit both parties. Unless, of course, Thompson badly wanted to stay in Cleveland, in which case he is bluffing and has no leverage.

On a side note, I have to ask, do you honestly want someone of Thompson's character on your team anymore? His behavior has been so repellent that, anything short of a very serious genuine apology, I couldn't root for him anymore. If I were the Cavs, I would only consider options involving a trade at this point.

I think if TT were really considering playing elsewhere, he would have signed the Q.O. You could go to his agents and say find me one team in the league who is willing to pay TT the max in a S&T and we'll take your position seriously. Then, assuming they could find that team, you could call say fine we're trading him. They'd tell LBJ that TT was about to be traded and it would be a **** show.

As far as wanting TT back, I don't know how much of this is TT and how much of this is his agents. I want to believe this is his agents and that he's going to come to senses. But if I'm being really honest, if TT and LBJ weren't close, I would have renounced his rights after he failed to sign the Q.O. because I don't think he's worth what he already turned down.

All good points. This is a very tough situation. Good luck to you and other Cavs fans. You folks deserve better.

[almatic]

LeBron should tell this scrub and Rich Paul to raise up off his nuts and stop trying to use him to get a max contract. This wouldn't even be happening if it wasn't for the LBJ connection.

Rich Paul is as guilty as TT, if not more.

Rich Paul is his agent, this whole thing is HIS job.

[LeChosen One]

LeBron should tell this scrub and Rich Paul to raise up off his nuts and stop trying to use him to get a max contract. This wouldn't even be happening if it wasn't for the LBJ connection.

Rich Paul is as guilty as TT, if not more.

Rich Paul is his agent, this whole thing is HIS job.

Tristan has to think he's worth the max to go for it though. To hold out this long and cause distractions to the team.

[batterybro42]

LeBron going to laugh his way back on down to South Beach. Guess what?

Nobody is going to blame him..How incompetent can you get as a franchise?

Bet Thompson wouldn't pull this **** on Pat Riley

[FrontPageNews]

LeBron going to laugh his way back on down to South Beach. Guess what?

Nobody is going to blame him..How incompetent can you get as a franchise?

Bet Thompson wouldn't pull this **** on Pat Riley

Wait... So how does this make the organization incompetent? Yet Riley wouldn't do this either ?


And why would Lebron go to an aging heat team that can't afford him ?

Some posters just shouldn't post.

[NBA Fan 1234]

LeBron going to laugh his way back on down to South Beach. Guess what?

Nobody is going to blame him..How incompetent can you get as a franchise?

Bet Thompson wouldn't pull this **** on Pat Riley

Hold up...the CAVS are incompetent because they don't want to overpay for Tristan Thompson...?

[Axl Rose]

at what point does he fire Rich Paul? Thompson doesn't have any leverage anymore. Cavs would be stupid to give into his demands at this point as they have the upper hand now....what is he just gonna sit out the whole year?

[OptionZero]

Thompson is banking on Love, Mozgov and/or Varejao being hurt, at least long enough to shake the Cavs.

Pretty **** up way to get your money, when the offer is already above your value.

[yoyoboy]

LeBron going to laugh his way back on down to South Beach. Guess what?

Nobody is going to blame him..How incompetent can you get as a franchise?

Bet Thompson wouldn't pull this **** on Pat Riley

So the Cavs are incompetent if they pay a role player the max, but they're also incompetent if they hold their stance and refuse to do so?

What is there left to do?

[7 Footer]

So if he sits out for a couple of months, does he get paid anything?

[Gang of Four]

Id like to see the Cavs pull the 80/5 offer and offer him a more sustainable offer of 50/5. When you look at his production as a back up he is worth about $10 mill per year, even in an inflated era of inflated payroll.

What are you suggesting? That the players don't deserve to be paid more even though the NBA's revenues have dramatically increased? To criticize a team for paying near max for a player like Tristan Thompson is one thing, but for people to also be against the very notion of a salary cap increase is just surprising. Or maybe not. I can't help but wonder if people here would still complain about the increasing salary cap if most of the players were white instead of black.

[Cutter]

Id like to see the Cavs pull the 80/5 offer and offer him a more sustainable offer of 50/5. When you look at his production as a back up he is worth about $10 mill per year, even in an inflated era of inflated payroll.

What are you suggesting? That the players don't deserve to be paid more even though the NBA's revenues have dramatically increased? To criticize a team for paying near max for a player like Tristan Thompson is one thing, but for people to also be against the very notion of a salary cap increase is just surprising. Or maybe not. I can't help but wonder if people here would still complain about the increasing salary cap if most of the players were white instead of black.

Calm down. I favor the Cavs paying TT what he is worth.......$10M per year.

[batterybro42]

LeBron going to laugh his way back on down to South Beach. Guess what?

Nobody is going to blame him..How incompetent can you get as a franchise?

Bet Thompson wouldn't pull this **** on Pat Riley

Wait... So how does this make the organization incompetent? Yet Riley wouldn't do this either ?


And why would Lebron go to an aging heat team that can't afford him ?

Some posters just shouldn't post.

I think the point is rather elementary to understand. Thompson and his agent know the Cavs management is weak. He knows they will cave, and at the very least will pay him the 80 million dollars. They will also probably negotiate with Rich Paul again even after this.

Miami isn't like that they don't let players or agents or anybody of the like walk all over them, see no further than LeBron James. That's the difference between the two. If Thompson pulled this in Miami not only would he never play another minute in the uniform, but his agent would never be able to negotiate with that team again.

The Cavs are the most horribly run franchise in NBA history. They were gifted arguably the most talented player of all time and what do they have to show for it....what kind of respect has the orginization garnered? Enough where some role player has the franchise by balls and knows it.....it's laughable to anybody far enough removed from the wine and gold to see it.


In short any decent orginization wouldn't allow this to happen, but the Cavs aren't an orginization, which if you listen to things Lebron says that's all he wants them to be. But like most bad leaders the Cavs want to please everybody, and we see where it's gotten them.

They just traded away their entire teams future in Andrew Wiggins for some poverty floor spacer, and now can't even resign their own glue guys the team drafted and groomed, who's agent represents their star player.

They will leave this era with no rings and honestly makes me feel sad for the real Cavs fans out there.

[FrontPageNews]

LeBron going to laugh his way back on down to South Beach. Guess what?

Nobody is going to blame him..How incompetent can you get as a franchise?

Bet Thompson wouldn't pull this **** on Pat Riley

Wait... So how does this make the organization incompetent? Yet Riley wouldn't do this either ?


And why would Lebron go to an aging heat team that can't afford him ?

Some posters just shouldn't post.

I think the point is rather elementary to understand. Thompson and his agent know the Cavs management is weak. He knows they will cave, and at the very least will pay him the 80 million dollars. They will also probably negotiate with Rich Paul again even after this.

Miami isn't like that they don't let players or agents or anybody of the like walk all over them, see no further than LeBron James. That's the difference between the two. If Thompson pulled this in Miami not only would he never play another minute in the uniform, but his agent would never be able to negotiate with that team again.

The Cavs are the most horribly run franchise in NBA history. They were gifted arguably the most talented player of all time and what do they have to show for it....what kind of respect has the orginization garnered? Enough where some role player has the franchise by balls and knows it.....it's laughable to anybody far enough removed from the wine and gold to see it.


In short any decent orginization wouldn't allow this to happen, but the Cavs aren't an orginization, which if you listen to things Lebron says that's all he wants them to be. But like most bad leaders the Cavs want to please everybody, and we see where it's gotten them.

They just traded away their entire teams future in Andrew Wiggins for some poverty floor spacer, and now can't even resign their own glue guys the team drafted and groomed, who's agent represents their star player.

They will leave this era with no rings and honestly makes me feel sad for the real Cavs fans out there.

Wait. Did the heat give Wade 20M this year ? Didn't they have to give bosh a max deal so he didn't go to Houston? But sure, Miami is great and never caves.

So did I miss the part where Cleveland caved and gave him that money ?


This is honestly one of the most pathetic heat fanboy posts I've ever read.

[baubo]

I find the whole discussion around TT to be fascinating because of how no one's saying the most obvious question, which is "Why the Cavs can't find a replacement for a backup role player?"

There are two scenarios here. One is that the Thompson is not worth anywhere near the max, in which case Cleveland should be using their TE and whatever picks they have left to find his replacement right now, instead of haggling over whether to overpay him or lol overpay him. The other is that he's an irreplaceable part of the team, in which case the $10 mil or whatever they're apart on is a small price to pay for higher odds of championship (yes,I know Cleveland pays uber tax this year but next year they'll be in the clear).

To me all this stuff about whether he can get more next year or worth the money is irrelevant. To Cleveland he's either replaceable or irreplaceable. If he's the latter, quite frankly they're screwed.

By this logic Cleveland has to give everyone the max, because they don't have the capspace to replace anyone. Yes, they have the TPE, but using it is dependent on another team being willing to give up someone that the Cavs could use. Teams in the Cavs' situation are mostly dependent on their ability to sign their own players. Paying someone like TT the max is not a sustainable way to run a franchise.

Also, they will not be in the clear tax-wise even when the cap hits its peak in two years. LeBron will get the mega-max, Love and Kyrie are on max deals as well, Moz will get near max, and TT will likely at some point wake up and accept the 5/80, which is also a lot. And they're still paying Shump $10M and will have to pay other role players. They will be deep in tax territory as long as LeBron is there.

What you're saying would make sense only if NBA teams aren't allowed to make trades.

[electroman6t]

Wait... So how does this make the organization incompetent? Yet Riley wouldn't do this either ?


And why would Lebron go to an aging heat team that can't afford him ?

Some posters just shouldn't post.

I think the point is rather elementary to understand. Thompson and his agent know the Cavs management is weak. He knows they will cave, and at the very least will pay him the 80 million dollars. They will also probably negotiate with Rich Paul again even after this.

Miami isn't like that they don't let players or agents or anybody of the like walk all over them, see no further than LeBron James. That's the difference between the two. If Thompson pulled this in Miami not only would he never play another minute in the uniform, but his agent would never be able to negotiate with that team again.

The Cavs are the most horribly run franchise in NBA history. They were gifted arguably the most talented player of all time and what do they have to show for it....what kind of respect has the orginization garnered? Enough where some role player has the franchise by balls and knows it.....it's laughable to anybody far enough removed from the wine and gold to see it.


In short any decent orginization wouldn't allow this to happen, but the Cavs aren't an orginization, which if you listen to things Lebron says that's all he wants them to be. But like most bad leaders the Cavs want to please everybody, and we see where it's gotten them.

They just traded away their entire teams future in Andrew Wiggins for some poverty floor spacer, and now can't even resign their own glue guys the team drafted and groomed, who's agent represents their star player.

They will leave this era with no rings and honestly makes me feel sad for the real Cavs fans out there.

Wait. Did the heat give Wade 20M this year ? Didn't they have to give bosh a max deal so he didn't go to Houston? But sure, Miami is great and never caves.

So did I miss the part where Cleveland caved and gave him that money ?


This is honestly one of the most pathetic heat fanboy posts I've ever read.

You also missed the part where Riley was begging Lebron for input on free agents and Lebron wouldn't answer the phone. Then Riley flew all the way to Vegas to make his recruiting pitch.

Also... Do people realize that the Cavs have a different GM since Lebron was there last? Its strange that people overlook this. Griffin has done a nice job. I'm not sure why he's being called weak either.