Thompson's agent says he'll leave Cavs if long-term deal not reached

Tristan Thompson's agent Rich Paul is playing the only card left in his deck.

Paul, who also represents LeBron James, issued an ominous threat regarding the stalled contract talks between Thompson and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Thompson's qualifying offer is worth $7 million for the 2015-16 season. Should he sign the offer, Thompson will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, and by the sounds of his agent, he'll be looking to change teams.

Talks between the Cavaliers and Thompson have reportedly hit an impasse. Reports suggest Thompson is looking for a five-year, $94-million maximum contract, but the Cavaliers are balking at his asking price.

In truth, threatening to leave via the qualifying offer is a decent scare tactic to bend the Cavaliers' management to meeting their demands.

But realistically, the Cavaliers still stand to make the biggest offer to Thompson, even if he does accept the qualifying offer. The Cavaliers will hold Thompson's Bird Rights and could offer him a five-year deal, one more than any other team on the market.

Granted, if the Cavaliers' goal is to save money, meeting Thompson's price this summer might be the most prudent decision. With the salary cap slated to rise to $90 million next summer, Thompson could enter unrestricted free agency with no shortage of suitors in a market flush with cash. At that point, the maximum for Thompson will eclipse his current total.

But swallowing a $15-million price tag for Thompson would put additional strain on Cleveland's already burgeoning cap sheet. Meeting his price would cost Cleveland $35 million in luxury tax payments alone next season.

Ultimately, the Cavaliers want Thompson back. Both LeBron James and general manager David Griffin said as much. It's just a matter of price. And while neither side is ready to settle, negotiations wage on through a war of words.