Tristan Thompson is expected to play a big role for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the upcoming season which is a good thing considering he is looking for a new contract. The power forward will hit restricted free agency in the coming offseason and a solid year can mean more money for the young player. However, the question still remains as to whether or not it will come from Cleveland or someone else.
According to ESPN.com, the Cavaliers would ideally like to get Thompson inked to a new contract by the Friday deadline. The team has already locked down Dion Waiters through 2016 after they announced the shooting guard's option had been picked up. Now, the focus shifts to Thompson. The two sides have just started negotiating a long-term deal, but ESPN reports that things have stalled out with the deadline looming.
Thompson is represented by the same agency as LeBron James who holds a lot of power in the Cavaliers organization. He also happens to be one of Thompson's biggest supporters. James was able to get Eric Bledsoe a new contract with the Phoenix Suns and could play a role in the deal that Thompson signs. With James signed to essentially a one-year contract, the Cavaliers would be wise to keep the players he likes around.
The type of deal Thompson deserves is the question. He has yet to be a full-time starter for the team and will not start out as one this season either. The Cavaliers announced that Anderson Varejao will start at center with Thompson leading the bench. According to ESPN, the Cavaliers would ideally like to give Thompson a long-term deal while the forward is looking for something similar to what Kenneth Faried signed which is $12 million per season.
The Thompson talks could get complicated. He could sign now or wait and try and get more money if he plays well this year. That could put him in a situation similar to Greg Monroe who was forced to sign a one-year qualifying offer because most teams assumed the Detroit Pistons would match any offer on him. With the media-rights deal expected to raise salary cap restrictions, Thompson might hold out for the money, similar to the route James is taking.
This opens up Thompson to trades. The Cavaliers have been rumored to be trading the power forward for some time now, but have failed to make any moves. Stalling contract talks could be what pushes them over the edge. With new deals needed for Kevin Love and James, Thompson might not be a priority.