If Love opts in, what are the chances of Cleveland keeping Tristan Thompson?

[JerrySeinfeld]

Can anyone who thinks that they have a good grasp on this situation educate me and anyone else interested?

I know that next year Brendan Haywood is set to make 10M, but it isn't guaranteed if released before the first of August, so he's a goner. However this year he only made 2M so it's not like they are really freeing up 10M.

The way Tristan Thompson has been playing this playoffs, and with the salary cap growing, I can see him easily getting money in the ball park of 15M a year. Is Cleveland going to be able to match that while already paying 3 dudes the max?

[Haymaker]

I think they should give him the max and let Love's contract expire after this season. He's redundant.

[JerrySeinfeld]

I think they should give him the max and let Love's contract expire after this season. He's redundant.

yeah thats the problem if Love opts in though, will they even be able to give him the max?

[JerrySeinfeld]

Damn, Varejao is making 10M next season too.

[BigTicket]

Unfortunately the answer is probably no.

Thompson would be coming if the bench if the Cavs were healthy, and they can't afford to pay him the kind of money he will be looking for, nor can they give him the starting spot he probably wants.

I think Thompson will leave this offseason, while the rest of the Cavs team stays fairly intact.

As for Haywood's contract, that is pure trade bait, as a perfect expiring contract. There is 0% chance anyone will actually pay him next year.

[JerrySeinfeld]

Damn. Further proves my belief that keeping Wiggins was a no brainier.

I think Love will stay for one more year but it's clear that he isn't really comfortable alongside LeBron/Irving and isn't comfortable as the 3rd option and media scapegoat.

So in 2 years we could be looking at a series of events like this:

Cleveland trades Wiggins, Bennett, draft picks for Love
Love opts in
Tristan Thompson walks in FA
Love walks in FA the next year

all the while they could of had both Wiggins and TT... Now they'll have neither and possibly no Love after one more year. LeGM strikes again!

[Spaulding]

Thompson will be back.

[JerrySeinfeld]

Thompson will be back.

Not that you're wrong, but how?

They have 3 guys making max money + Varejao making 10M which is what top level 4th options get paid. With Mozgov due for a payday in a year or two as well I just don't see how they are going to make it work if they even can at all.

Varejao's contract is brutal because he's worth about half of what he's gonna be getting paid and they just signed him to the deal. His contract is 10M a year for the next 3 years and then 15M in the 4th year. With his health concerns and declining abilities, ain't no way they are going to easily be able to get rid of it either.

[Carbine]

If Gilbert is willing to foot the tax bill, theirs no reason they couldn't keep both

[Taller than CP3]

So Lebron goes to Cleveland to collude with Love and create a super team, but now he wants him to opt out so they can keep Tristan Thompson. Lebron is too much.

[DMAVS41]

LOL

There is no way they let him leave now. They can pay him as much as anyone else does and just pay the tax.

You guys honestly think Lebron's guy is going to be told to get lost?

It's not even a question.

[1~Gibson~1]

Tristan is a RFA so the Cavs should be able to match any offer. I would like to see Kevin Love opt-in and then let Tristan and him battle it out for the starting PF spot throughout the season.

If TT wins, let Love's contract expire. If not, we would still have a bad ass Center rotation with Andy/TT/Love/Mozgov.

[DMAVS41]

Not that you're wrong, but how?

They have 3 guys making max money + Varejao making 10M which is what top level 4th options get paid. With Mozgov due for a payday in a year or two as well I just don't see how they are going to make it work if they even can at all.

Varejao's contract is brutal because he's worth about half of what he's gonna be getting paid and they just signed him to the deal. His contract is 10M a year for the next 3 years and then 15M in the 4th year. With his health concerns and declining abilities, ain't no way they are going to easily be able to get rid of it either.

Are you sure about that contract info?

I thought Andy was on the books for 16 and 17...and then it's a team option in 18.

I also thought it was for slightly less than 10 million each year.

Link please...

[Carbine]

Gilbert is one of the richest people in the world as well.

50 million in tax dollars seems like a lot, but that's probably only a couple months of investments for a guy like him.

[JerrySeinfeld]

Are you sure about that contract info?

I thought Andy was on the books for 16 and 17...and then it's a team option in 18.

I also thought it was for slightly less than 10 million each year.

Link please...

http://www.spotrac.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/

[DMAVS41]

http://www.spotrac.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/

But that supports what I was saying. That he's on the books for only 16 and 17 and then it's a team option after.

That it's basically 10 million a year.

http://*********.com/salaries/cleveland.htm

[JerrySeinfeld]

But that supports what I was saying. That he's on the books for only 16 and 17 and then it's a team option after.

That it's basically 10 million a year.

lol alright, so that 15M ain't really there then.

Regardless it sucks for them to be paying him 10M through 2017.

Keeping Wiggins would have made everything so much easier for them. They could have easily kept TT.

[Carbine]

They Can Easily Keep Thompson. And Love.

[Carbine]

Caps going up like crazy soon.

Cavs owner is rich as ****.

If they want to keep Thompson (they do) then they will keep him. End of story.

[DMAVS41]

lol alright, so that 15M ain't really there then.

Regardless it sucks for them to be paying him 10M through 2017.

Keeping Wiggins would have made everything so much easier for them. They could have easily kept TT.

For sure, but even without that contract...they'd be in the same spot. Only difference would be that Gibson would pay less in salary and tax.

Andy is still a good player and absolutely can make an impact if healthy on this team.

So as long as Gibson is willing to pay out of his ass before the cap increase...it won't hurt them at all.

[JerrySeinfeld]

They Can Easily Keep Thompson. And Love.

Did this nigha just say that they could easily have potentially 4 max players with another making 10M a year?

[Optimus Prime]

LeGM (who by the way shares an agent with Tristan) will say, "Pay him the max" or he will bolt to whichever team in The Least is the most stacked. Cavs really have no choice. Dan Gilbert better get ready to write dem luxury tax checks.

:kobe:

[JerrySeinfeld]

LeGM (who by the way shares an agent with Tristan) will say, "Pay him the max" or he will bolt to whichever team in The Least is the most stacked. Cavs really have no choice. Dan Gilbert better get ready to write dem luxury tax checks.

:kobe:

If Bron does that, seems as if Love is for sure a goner.

[JerrySeinfeld]

Lol I actually hope they keep both Thompson and Love, with both getting a max.

If LeBron fails to deliver then... on a team with 4 max guys.... in the East....

holy shit, wonder what the excuses would be then lol

[Carbine]

Did this nigha just say that they could easily have potentially 4 max players with another making 10M a year?

It's as simple as Gilbet writing a check. Sounds pretty easy to me,

[Fallen Angel]

Tristan Thompson isn't getting the max.

If Love were to opt in his contract would be for one year.

Cavaliers don't have to pay all of Anderson Varejao's contract if he's injured for an extended period of time, which is likely (may even fake an injury).