Thompson to leave if given one-year deal

Moreover, Cleveland already has $88.6 million in guaranteed money on the books for next year, per Basketball Insiders, so giving Thompson a multiyear deal when the team is already above next year’s salary cap projection of $67.1 million would just be a bad idea. “If [Thompson] were to be an unrestricted free agent next summer and he’s healthy, he probably would be one of the top free agents available”.

It’s not such an easy decision for the Cavaliers.

But this is a team with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, and Thompson isn’t even a superstar. Reports indicated Thompson and the Cavs broke off contract talks in mid-July, hitting an impasse over money with Thompson angling for a deal at or close to max level ($94 million over five years).

If Thompson accepts the one-year qualifying offer from the Cavs to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, then it is nearly certain that he will be a Raptor next season, according to Fansided’s Ryan Greco.

It was a bold move for Thompson and Paul to claim the former would flee next year if this comes down to signing his qualifying offer.

Over the off-season it was pretty much common knowledge that the Cleveland Cavaliers would be bringing the whole band back together for the 2015-16 season. But Thompson’s ego and Rich Paul-derived chutzpah are getting in the way here, and that’s why we now have this situation, one that could spell the end of TT’s tenure in Cleveland before too long. Though he appeared in all 82 games, Thompson started only 15 and averaged only 8.5 points and eight rebounds per game, though he did shoot a career best 55 percent from the field. Monroe signed a qualifying offer and left the Pistons after the season. What I mean by that is, of course, that he has openly “threatened” to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers if he doesn’t get the contract he wants; which, by the way, is the max.

Meanwhile, the Raptors could really use someone like Thompson and might actually become a starter ahead of power forward Patrick Petterson or center Jonas Valanciunas if Dwayne Casey decides to go small ball. And we all know that his hometown Washington Wizards are going to be the first ones in line to try and pry him away from Oklahoma City. Thompson fits a role on the Cavs, but to another team like the Blazers, he most likely doesn’t have the same value.

“He plays his heart out every single night, and he has zero sense of entitlement in this league”, James said of Thompson in May.

A $90-million-plus Thompson deal would cost them $35 million in luxury taxes.

The Cavs are looking for a backup for LeBron James at small forward and another interior player or two. A player (LeBron) who has mentored him and sung his praises, and oh yeah, got him the agent.