I think fallenphoenix's point is not that Thompson might be the next superstar. It's that windows close quicker than expected. OKC let Harden go because they were deep and young and "couldn't pay everybody". A couple of years and a few injuries and what looked like a sure thing long time championship caliber team (with or without Harden) is suddenly on the outside looking in. Cleveland's window is clearly shorter than OKC's was, as it is tied to getting older and ridden hard LaBron James. I think his point is seize the opportunity while you can. Somebody else posted the Orlando/Rockets finals. There is another team that looked poised for a long run, being built around Shaq and Penny Hardaway (center and PG). Then they just weren't. Plenty of examples of big windows slammed shut. Apologies to fallenphoenix. I don't mean to speak for you, but I think you raise a valid point. Don't know that I'm the one to pay TT that much, but it is a debatable point.
ACTUALLY. "At 24, Thompson is among the league's best rebounders and pick and roll players. Of players with 100 or more possessions as the roll man, Thompson ranks 3rd in points per possession (PPP), FG%, Score Frequency, and drawing fouls. For comparison, Thompson's 1.25 PPP as the roll man and 69% score frequency dwarfs that of Kevin Love, who was used as the roll man more often, with a PPP of .86 and score frequency of 36%. Conversely, when defending the pick and roll, Thompson allows .68 PPP." That means that not only is he a great as a roller on the pick and roll, but he also is great at defending the pick and roll so even if you think he sucks at offense he is still an above average defender and a top tier rebounder. Something every team needs off the bench. He's not worth what he's demanding, but he is still a very good basketball player and is worth Jonas V/DaMarre Carroll money. Of course his ego and confidence will be inflated. He just won two playoff series as the starting power forward and went to the finals.
Cleveland Cavaliers restricted free agent Tristan Thompson won't re-sign with the team for anything less than a maximum contract, reports Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher. Thompson reportedly turned down a five-year, $80 million offer from Cleveland earlier this off-season. A max deal for Thompson would cost Cleveland more than $94 million over five years. According to Bucher, Thompson is willing to sign a one-year qualifying offer for $6.8 million with the Cavs, which would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer. Bucher's report says Thompson's agent, Rich Paul, believes the Toronto Raptors would offer Thompson a max deal next off-season, when the salary cap increases significantly. http://www.si.com/nba/2015/08/31/cleveland-cavaliers-tristan-thompson-contract
Rich Paul is a joke. I hope Morey drags this **** out with Montrezzl and last minute trades his rights
Only other player in his talent range is Draymond Green who got exactly $80mil / 5 years. Not sure who's he comparing himself to?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">While Toronto is possible for Tristan Thompson in '16, sources say Rich Paul has 3 teams waiting to offer the 24 yr old max $ if he's an UFA</p>— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/641295411907530752">September 8, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Would like to see more numbers on this for comparison purposes. Not that TT isn't a good PnR finisher, but..............wonder how much of that number is jaded because he's running PnR with Lebron, because the defense has to concentrate so much on stopping Lebron's penetration? Once again, not saying TT is a bad PnR player. On the contrary, I've seen him make too many catches in traffic to even consider that. He's got great hands on the catch. Terrific hands. But...just don't believe he'd be nearly as efficient running PnR with guys like Kemba Walker, George Hill, Reggie Jackson, etc. as he is with Lebron.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cavs & free agent Tristan Thompson remain $14 million apart with a week to go before training camp: <a href="http://t.co/x28Nihiqpv">http://t.co/x28Nihiqpv</a></p>— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/WindhorstESPN/status/645975290150154240">September 21, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cavs should hold firm and hope he signs the qualifying offer. This puts them in the best position possible because he's on a one-year deal and they made the appearance of trying to sign him long term so no feeling are hurt.
It may well be BS. But even if it were true, I don't think he could put those names out there. Couldn't those teams be fined for tampering since Thompson isn't currently a free agent? edit - never mind. I thought they were in extension talks. Didn't realize he was a restricted free agent now.
IF...TT signs the QO and then signs elsewhere next summer at the max, he will likely make around $85-90 million over 5 years. A 5/80 contract has a starting salary (based on 7.5% raises) of $13.91 million. A true 5-year max contract has a starting salary of $16.407 million. That's a difference of $2.497 million next season. But.....the extra luxury tax on that $2.497 million is $10.6 million. So if CLE pays TT what he wants it will cost them right around an extra $13 million in salary and luxury tax next season. And if they have to add one more piece down the stretch, even more than that. On the flip side, if they get him to sign the QO, they will save roughly $45+ million in salary and luxury tax next season!!!!!!! I doubt Cleveland budges from these numbers. And I wouldn't be surprised if Paul settles on the QO, saving CLE mega bucks that they can funnel back to his clients (including TT) after this season. Paul is for all practical purposes a member of the Cavs front office. Huge conflict of interest there. I question his loyalty to Thompson in this case. And I have to wonder if Thompson has rocks in his head. 1. Before Love signed they basically agree to a 5/80 deal. 2. Love agrees. 3. Then TT rejects 5/80 to go after 5/94?????????? And most of us know he ain't worth the 5/80, much less the 5/94. So, why would he turn that deal down???? Why would they allegedly be close to agreement on a 5/80 deal and then all of a sudden things turn on a dime when Love agrees to a max deal??? My Theory: Cavs (and Paul, since he's Lebron's agent and him and Lebron are basically running the Cavs with Gilbert) used TT's contract negotiations to force Love to get a deal done and stop all the crazy rumors about Love walking. Love really didn't want to walk away from a 5-year max deal for a 4-year deal. They used the idea of daring Love to walk and negotiating with his replacement to get Love to come to the table, talk to Lebron, and buy-in to the Cavs. Once they had Love in pocket, then all of a sudden things go sideways with the Thompson talks. But the Cavs (remember that includes Lebron/Paul as well as Gilbert) couldn't afford to piss off Tristan by walking away from their 5/80+ offer so they had to get Paul to do the dirty work for them. Now all of a sudden Paul starts trumping that TT is a max player and he can get max from TOR, etc. Look at the difference. $14 million over 5 years!!! That's a lot of jack to me and you but it's pittance for these guys. Paul's talked TT out of that 5/80 deal when 5/80 is bloated and Paul (and the Cavs) know it. Not only that, a compromise of 5/85 likely gets it done. Because if TT takes the QO and then actually does get a max offer next season, he's likely to make a total of around $85-90 million over the next 5 years. Discount that slightly for getting guaranteed money and the compromise deal is right there for both sides to make. But this saga keeps dragging on. Why? Well because there's roughly $45+ million flying out the window if they give in to TT and if they get TT on the QO that's $45+ million left in their pockets. They save the $45 million. They keep TT on an artificially low deal. Then next season they (Gilbert/Paul/Lebron) give TT a 5-year deal slightly above whatever the highest bidder offers. And they control all that because Paul/Lebron/Gilbert is the Cavs front office. But...if TT gets hurt or his level-of-play decreases this season then they possibly save even more money over the long-term. Not to mention the possibility of a huge sign-and-trade next off-season using one of the 2 bigs (Mozgov or TT) to get them an even better player. There's no doubt in my mind that Paul and Lebron are running the Cavs and they are doing what's best for them to win championships...even if it means sacrificing another client's immediate wealth. Losing a few dollars agent fee on TT's deal is pittance compared to putting a team around Lebron that helps him win multiple titles in Cleveland. TT is caught in the crosshairs of all that. TT should tell Paul he wants to sign the 5/80 deal with an added no-trade clause (since Lebron said he should be a Cav for life) and really drop the hammer on the Cavs.
lmao!! I am usually very careful about the inflation of the salaries but there's no way. Let's see what teams will be interested : Toronto : has to pay DD, has to pay Ross possibly , TT doesn't fit at all with Valanciunas. NY: Porginzis plays the same position. Lakers: Randle, and will go after bigger names Portland: Their GM is not an idiot. Has to pay Leonard and possibly extend CJ( prime suspect for breakout season). Atlanta : if lose Horford TT still awful fit. Phoenix : has to extend Len who will likely take a near max contract. Detroit: Doesn't fit at all with SVG system. Boston: Has Sully as rfa and will go after bigger names/trades. Who the heck will pay this guy 20 per?
