Cleveland Cavaliers Trade Rumors: Tristan Thompson Contract On Hold; Causes Distraction to LeBron James
The new NBA season is just around the corner and just like the fans who are already getting ready to be there for their respective favorite teams, the League's 30 teams are also wrapping up their line-up of players before the February trade deadline.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, however, still couldn't make up their minds to lock in the contract deal with Tristan Thompson.
SportsWorldReport.com reported that the holdout is causing a distraction to the current Cav star, LeBron James, who is now more than eager for the preseasons. According to the website, the floating situation with Thompson shouldn't be a bother to James as he has Kevin Love for the starting line-up. However, the power forward has now become "a key part of the team" following the temporary exit of players like Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert who both are currently dealing with injuries.
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Shumpert is reported to be out for a few months following his wrist surgery. Irving, on the other hand, still has no exact return date set after having a knee operation this summer.
The negotiation, which both parties have been talking about all summer, indicates Thompson's demand for a max contract deal. The Cavs, on the other hand, couldn't agree for it.
It was later reported (via Cleveland.com) that the 24-year-old ended up signing a shorter deal that would have him play at a $15 million per season rate. According to the site, the 2011 Number 4 draftee was absent during the team's practice last week.
Citing ESPN.com, the media outlet speculated that the Cavs may not want to invest that much money in one position on the roster as they have just signed Love on a max contract back in the offseason.
During the 2014-15 regular season, Thompson averaged .547 percent in field goals and 8 rebounds per game.
Stay tuned for more updates.
