The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Tristan Thompson to a five-year contract and now the forward will report to the team ahead of the start of the regular season. LeBron James had a back injection this month and he is expected to be ready for the season opener along with Kevin Love, while point guard Kyrie Irving is not healthy enough to return yet.
The Cavaliers and Thompson had spent the bulk of the offseason working on a contract, but the two sides were not able to agree on a deal before training camp. Some reports had Thompson holding out for a new deal into the regular season, but on Wednesday night the sides were able to agree. According to Chris Haynes at Cleveland.com, Thompson and the Cavaliers have agreed on a five-year contract worth $82 million.
The Cavaliers have been very active in keeping their own free agents and the team has spent over $200 million this offseason keeping the roster together. The Cavaliers brought LeBron James back on a contract and the team also signed back JR Smith, Matthew Dellavedova, Iman Shumpert and Kevin Love. Love was signed to a max deal, while Shumpert got a four year contract from the Cavs. James said earlier in the summer that he was confident that the team would sign back Thompson and now a deal has been agreed on.
The season opener is next week and LeBron James is expected to be ready after receiving an injection for some back issues in the preseason. Kevin Love also is expected to start, as he made his debut in the preseason over the weekend after previously injuring his shoulder in the playoffs. Kyrie Irving is coming back from knee surgery and will not start the season in the lineup for the Cavaliers, leaving Mo Williams and Matthew Dellavedova as the main options for David Blatt.
The Cavs signed Williams on a two year deal worth $4.3 million and the deal also includes a player option for the guard. Williams and the Cavaliers had mutual interest early in the offseason and he opted to come back to Cleveland after the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans showed interest. Williams wanted a "reunion with the Cavaliers and LeBron James," according to ESPN.com, and now he could start the season as the starting point guard with Irving out.
Thompson was offered a four-year, $52 million extension before last season by the Cavaliers and he turned that deal down and now he has signed for more years and more money. The Cavs reportedly offered Thompson a deal worth $80 million earlier in the summer that was rejected and Thompson successfully held out for more money. While the extra money was just $2 million, the end result is a positive one for Thompson and the Cavaliers, as they get a talented young player back in the fold as they try to win a championship.
Check here for more on the Cavaliers offseason moves and the contract with Thompson.
