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Cleveland Cavaliers: What To Do With Tristan Thompson?

By Greg Chin

Jun 9, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson addresses the media after game three of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 96-91. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 9, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson addresses the media after game three of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 96-91. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Tristan Thompson saga continues as it was announced earlier Monday that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Thompson have failed to reach an agreement on his contract extension. The Cavs had declined Thompson’s offer of a three-year max deal – the latest in a myriad of deals discussed by both parties this offseason.

To jog your memory, the Cavaliers initially offered a four-year contract with an average annual salary of $16 million, which was then countered by Thompson’s agent with a five-year, $94 million deal.

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Since then, Rich Paul (Thompson’s agent) has come out and repeatedly claimed that they were ready to sign the qualifying offer and hit the market next season as an unrestricted free agent – a similar move to what former Detroit Piston Greg Monroe pulled, a move that saw him sign for $50 million over three years with the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason.

Thompson will have until Thursday to accept the Cavs’ one-year qualifying offer of $6.9 million – which if he doesn’t, will force him to sit the year out. If both parties are unable to agree on an extension, it seems inevitable that Thompson will sign the qualifying offer.

The Thompson situation is one that has divided many fans, and it’s easy to see why. One frequently parroted fact is that LeBron James and Thompson share the same agent, and should the Cavs refuse to pay Thompson, it could result in James leaving Cleveland again.

The opposing argument is that Thompson is not a player that deserves a max contract – especially since he’ll be playing from the bench, with Kevin Love as the incumbent starter. So, who is right?

With regards to the LeBron-Thompson relationship, I find it highly suspect that LeBron would leave Cleveland (again) should they refuse to pay him the max. Many will cite the Miami Heat waiving Mike Miller as the starting point when James’ relationship with the Heat deteriorated, but his decision to return to Cleveland was heavily influenced by their title window closing.

But LeBron aside, the Cavaliers are justified in their decision to not match Thompson’s demands for a max contract. Most of his value is from his playoff performances last season when he filled in for Kevin Love, and he hasn’t shown much during the rest of his NBA career. Last season, in a reduced role, he averaged 8.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per game.

His per-36 minute numbers were at a career low last season, and unless the Cavaliers opt for a small-ball lineup with Thompson at the 4 and Love at the 5, there is little to suggest that Thompson is deserving of a max contract.

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Furthermore, it seems unbelievable that other teams would offer Thompson a max contract – a claim that Thompson’s agent has put forward on multiple occasions. Even if Thompson averages a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) per game coming off the bench, there aren’t many teams that will be willing to take a flier on a player who has a limited game.

Thompson’s offensive rebounding skill set is one of the best in the league, but with the rest of his game unpolished, he isn’t capable of contributing much else. The comparisons to Dennis Rodman are laughable – especially since Rodman was a plus defender, something Thompson isn’t.

The Cavaliers were justified in their decision to not match Thompson’s demands. Even with the increase in the salary cap next season, the Cavaliers cannot afford to pay a player max money to sit on the bench. Thompson’s performances in the playoffs were electrifying, but that’s all he is – an electrifying energy player off the bench.

With a lacking finesse and power game, Thompson provides little else outside of offensive rebounding.

Thompson and his agent took a gamble and lost. Who knows what he’ll get paid next offseason.

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