The Cleveland Cavaliers simply cannot have it all. The team is going to be hard-pressed with contracts over the next two years as everyone will be looking for more money. This upcoming offseason will kick off a critical time for Cleveland as they look to continue building off this year's success. Kevin Love says that will include him while Tristan Thompson is expecting the same thing. Will the Cavaliers be able to retain both players?
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Love plans to return to Cleveland this next season despite having the chance to go elsewhere in free agency. There has certainly been plenty of debate as to whether or not Love will be back with the team who traded multiple first-round picks for the forward. However, during a team media session, Love made it clear his intentions were to stick with the Cavaliers.
The forward could go about that in many ways. Love could opt in on a $16.7 million player option that would leave him a free agent in 2016. He could also opt out ad demand a long-term contract with Cleveland. The decisions of Love will be critical to the future of Thompson who is preparing to be a restricted free agent with a $7.1 million qualifying offer. Can the Cavaliers get both deals done or will they be forced to decide between a young star on the rise or a player who had the team looking much better when he was on the court?
Love would make much more money if he opted in this year and then got a long-term deal next season when the tv deals kick in and increase the salary cap. That is the route LeBron James is expected to take according to ESPN's Marc Stein as he has a $21.5 million player option next year. The Cavaliers could make it work with both Love and Thompson, but it would cost them other players who stepped up this past season.
JR Smith and Mike Miller have player options while Matthew Dellavedova and Iman Shumpert are restricted free agents. Anderson Varejao is a lock to return at $9.6 million, but Timofey Mozgov has a team option. Kendrick Perkins and James Jones will be off the books while Shawn Marion has retirement in his future.
The tough decisions for Cleveland could come down to players like Smith, Shumpert and potentially Varejao in terms of regaining more cap space. Love has said he is opting in on his option according to the Akron Beacon Journal, but the recent shoulder injury might have him aim to get his money now and not later should something else happen. It is not clear. James has endorsed the future of Thompson, but that is not going to make the contract situation any easier to determine for the coming seasons.