Report: Cavs' Thompson could start, wants big money extension

Since the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Kevin Love in a summer blockbuster, it has been widely assumed that Love and Anderson Varejao will start at the big positions for Cleveland, with Tristan Thompson coming off the bench.

According to the Akron Beacon Journal, however, "a theory has been floated within the organization recently that by starting Thompson, coach David Blatt could better limit Varejao’s minutes and help protect him from injury."

The report also indicates that regardless of whether Thompson starts, the young big man will log plenty of minutes at the five this season.

Major changes to Thompson's role could be especially relevant in 2014-15, as the 23-year-old will become a restricted free agent next summer if he and the Cavs don't agree on a contract extension before the Oct. 31 deadline.

Thompson "will ask for the type of money previously given to Derrick Favors (four years, $49 million) and Larry Sanders (four years, $44 million)," the Beacon Journal reports. 

Thompson has the fact that he shares an agent with LeBron James working in his favor, and the Cavs will surely be looking to keep James' camp as happy as possible going forward. If Thompson ends up starting on a championship contender, he could cash in as a restricted free agent.

But there's little sense in drastically overpaying to lock Thompson up now. Outside of keeping James, Love and Kyrie Irving together, the team will have to be careful about how it spends money on role players.

Thompson has averaged 10.8 points and 8.6 rebounds through three seasons, but, despite playing hard, is a very limited offensive player who remains a rebounding and defensive specialist at this stage of his career.

If Thompson is really asking for north of $11 million per year, the Cavs would be wise to let him play out the season and see how the market dictates his worth as an RFA a year from now.