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LeBron: 'Of course' Tristan Thompson will be re-signed

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

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LeBron James is still confident the Cleveland Cavaliers will re-sign restricted free agent Tristan Thompson.

James opened up his Twitter feed to questions for an hour Tuesday, and the first question he answered was about Thompson's outstanding contract status.

With Brendan Haywood and Mike Miller's contracts now off the books, it should only be a matter of time before the Canadian big man is officially back with the Cavs - although not without more haggling. Earlier this month, it was reported that Thompson was looking for a similar deal to the five-year, $90-million pact that Draymond Green signed with the Golden State Warriors.

Thompson turned down a four-year, $52-million extension offer from the Cavs last October.

James' backing of Thompson is nothing new - they share the same agent, Cleveland-based Rich Paul. A report earlier this month that claimed James wouldn't re-sign with the Cavs until they took care of Thompson proved false, but the two remain close.

The Cavaliers have to attempt to draw a line somewhere in terms of how much luxury tax they'll pay next season. That's why they're playing hardball with the restricted Thompson, who won't see an offer sheet from elsewhere at this point. His alternative is taking a one-year qualifying offer at around $7 million and betting on himself as an unrestricted free agent next summer.

That may well happen, but James should be proven right - Thompson should be in a Cavs uniform next season, one way or another.

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