Cavs reportedly took $80 million offer to Tristan Thompson off the table

Browns ABC’s: McCown plays Above and Beyond the Catcalls, Week 5

October 15, 2015

Just pay Tristan Thompson already: While We’re Waiting…

October 16, 2015

Published by Will Gibson on October 15, 2015

Sick of hearing about Tristan Thompson yet? This story won’t help.

Larry Coon, whose website is essential reading for anyone hoping to make sense of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, today took part in a Q&A at Basketball Insiders. He answered one question about the stalemate between the Cavs and Tristan Thompson, and may have broken some news in the process.

(Shout out to Charlie from the Internet for asking the question.)

Charlie: What are Tristan Thompson’s options at this point? What do you see as the likely conclusion?

Larry Coon: 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.

The most noteworthy nugget there is that Coon hears that the Cavs pulled their five-year, $80 million offer off the table as soon as the deadline for Thompson to take the one-year qualifying offer passed. Thompson’s agent Rich Paul threatened that Tristan would take the QO and leave as an unrestricted free agent after this season. If Coon’s word is bond, the Cavs called that bluff.

Coon also makes the assumption — safely, it seems — that no other team has presented Thompson with an offer sheet worth signing. As mentioned in our discussion of Zach Lowe and Brian Windhorst’s Thompson-centric podcast, the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers are the only two teams that currently have the room to offer Thompson a big deal (up to four years in length, per CBA rules). If either team offered Thompson a contract, the Cavs would have the opportunity to match. We have no indication, however, that either team is interested in doing so.

This doesn’t seem to leave Thompson with a whole lot of options. Barring a surprising offer from Philly or Portland, the Cavs are the only team with whom Thompson can negotiate. Even if he holds out all season, he would still be a restricted free agent. A slow start by the Cavs would seem to be the best means of proving his value and improving the Cavs’ offer.

Until then, the staring contest continues. Cavs season tips off in Chicago on October 27. Will Thompson be there?