Report: LeBron not applying pressure to Cavs on Tristan Thompson's behalf

Once upon a time, the Cleveland Cavaliers were reported to be closing in on a five-year, $80-million contract with restricted free-agent power forward Tristan Thompson. That was on the first day of free agency, nearly three months ago.

Since then, it's come out that Thompson is seeking a max-level deal worth $94 million; that if he and the Cavs can't reach an agreement before the Oct. 1 deadline he'll sign his one-year, $6.9-million qualifying offer, become an unrestricted free agent in 2016, then sign elsewhere; and that there currently isn't much optimism on either side of a deal getting done.

If the prospect of losing Thompson for nothing a year from now wasn't a big enough bargaining chip, it was believed that Thompson's teammate LeBron James, with whom he shares an agent (James' good friend Rich Paul), might put the squeeze on the Cavs. With the contract James signed with the team this summer once again containing an out clause after one season, the specter of him leaving - however faint - still demands to be taken into account.

But James reportedly isn't using any of his considerable leverage to angle for Thompson to get the max salary he's seeking.

From Joe Vardon of the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

A source close to James said Thompson's contract is a "non-discussion right now" for James as it relates to his own future, and a team source said the Cavs believe "LeBron's goals don't change relative to Tristan Thompson or anyone. Be as good as we can be for as long as we can be."

In other words, the nuclear option, or James demanding the Cavs pay Thompson what he wants or else, doesn't appear to be on the table.

There were rumblings early in free agency that James wouldn't negotiate his own deal with the Cavs until Thompson's was sorted out. And even after he proved that false by re-signing, he continued to voice his support for Thompson, saying in August that "our No. 1 objective right now is to sign Tristan," and "of course" a deal would get done.

With the contract negotiations remaining at an impasse, however, Thompson had to skip out on the pre-camp James coordinated in Miami earlier this month.

Thompson, 24, started just 15 games for Cleveland last season, but rose to prominence during the team's run to the NBA Finals, slotting into the starting power forward spot in place of the injured Kevin Love and continually devouring opposing bigs on the glass.

Still, for as important as he was to their playoff run, it's easy to see why the Cavs would be reluctant to meet Thompson's asking price, given the massive luxury-tax bill they're already staring at, and the fact he plays the same position as Love - who got a five-year, $113-million contract this offseason.

During his meteoric rise into the upper crust of the NBA agent ranks, Paul has shown an uncanny ability to get his clients paid. The Phoenix Suns initially balked when Paul dangled the threat of Eric Bledsoe taking the team's qualifying offer last summer, but when Paul and Bledsoe refused to blink, the Suns caved and upped their four-year, $48-million offer to five years, $70 million.

With training camp set to open in a week, Thompson's situation will have to resolve itself soon, one way or another.