Tristan Thompson’s agent, Rich Paul, says client will leave Cleveland

But is it really enough to incentivize the Cavs to cough up the desired $90 million-plus for essentially a role player? But the Cavs were significantly shorthanded after power forward Kevin Love went down with a separated shoulder in the first-round of the playoffs, providing Thompson additional opportunities on a thinning roster.

The posh tax additionally probably explains why the Cavaliers are digging their heels in so arduous towards providing Thompson the max. According to Probasketballdraft on Twitter and Sheridan Hoops, sources have said that the team is looking to bring back both layers soon and that “it’s just a matter of time until the Cavs re-sign” Smith and Thompson.

According to ESPN report of Brian Windhorst, Thompson’s contract impasse with the Cavaliers dragged this far because of the player’s asking price worth $94 million over five years.

The National Basketball Association cap is expected to skyrocket from $70 million to $88 million after the next season, so the 24-year-old’s best financial option could be free agency if a deal is not reached with the Cavaliers. Moreover, Paul’s clients have been involved in restricted free agency talks similar to this one before, most recently with Eric Bledsoe and the Phoenix Suns. Considering how Thompson had earned about $16.8 million over the first four years of his career, to make even more money per year while serving as a backup seemed like a dream come true. A near-max contract could suffice though recent news reveals that he could settle for a one-year deal instead. Greg Monroe, who took the Pistons’ qualifying supply final season and signed a three-year max contract with the Bucks final month, is principally the great participant to have ever signed the qualifying supply.

However, this may not be the case for Thompson, who has two things going for him that his restricted free agent brethren in the past did not.

“A Tristan Thompson qualifying offer will be his last year with Cavs”, Paul told Northeast Ohio Media Group.

What we do know is that Thompson wants the most money he can get, which may be a bargain compared to what he can get a year from now.

Tristan is represented by LeBron James’ agent.

Why would Thompson opt for a one year deal?

The Cavaliers are in this bind because they recently committed big contracts Kevin Love, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Anderson Varejao and Iman Shumpert. Thompson will be 25 next year and would likely have multiple suitors if he stays healthy and builds on what he did in 2014-15.

Deferring Thompson’s big payday, even if it costs the Cavs more money in salary in a bidding war next year, potentially would make fiscal sense when evaluating the tax savings this coming year alone. But they could also be playing with fire by gambling that Thompson will eventually cave in. This is probably not the Cavs’ preferred route, especially because it may foster some acrimony.