A major development has occurred in the Tristan Thompson contract saga.
Apparently, this news, or assumption, came from Larry Coon. Who’s Larry Coon? Well, he’s basically a CBA and salary cap guru who’s take on contract situations is very well regarded by peers and fans alike.
Coon participated in a Q&A where he got to address a question regarding the dragging negotiations involving Tristan Thompson and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
One assumption I think we’re safe making is that if there was a big offer sheet waiting for him, he would have signed it by now. The Cavs were under no obligation to leave their $80 million offer on the table, and from what I heard, pulled it as soon as Thompson’s qualifying offer expired. I heard it was Mark Termini doing the actual negotiating [for Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports agency], and he has a reputation for taking a really hard stance in negotiations, but I think he seriously miscalculated this one. Maybe he was thinking LeBron would be more of an influence on the team.
If accurate, that theory about the offer being no longer available definitely puts a lot of pressure on the camp of Thompson. The Cavaliers have every advantage imaginable at this point as the only teams who can possibly offer him a contract, which the Cavs will surely match, doesn’t look to be interested in doing so and you can’t fault the Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers as both teams are on a rebuild.
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Thompson can wait all he want and his status as a restricted free agent isn’t going away even if this holdout continues to the next season. With a deal not expected to be struck before the season starts, both sides will probably use the first month, or so, of the regular season to determine the value that the Canadian power forward brings to the table.