Tap here to view theScore's NBA Offseason Tracker, which includes the latest transactions and rumors.
Don't start putting up signs for a Cleveland Cavaliers reunion tour just yet.
Despite reports Wednesday that the Cavs were closing in on a five-year, $80-million deal with restricted free agent Tristan Thompson, no agreement has been reached. What's more, the two sides remain apart into Thursday, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
It's unclear what the holdup is, as Wednesday's reports made the deal sound all but done. The framework also sounded like a win for Thompson's camp, as it outstripped the four-year, $52-million extension he reportedly turned down in October.
But Thompson, who shares an agent with LeBron James in Rich Paul, was thought to be seeking a max deal at one point, one that would pay upwards of $90 million over five seasons. It's possible that Draymond Green's five-year, $85-million deal with the Golden State Warriors - which used Thompson's reported deal as a benchmark - led Thompson's camp to push for a bit more.
The Cavaliers had a busy Wednesday, locking up restricted free agent Iman Shumpert (four years, $40 million) and unrestricted free agent Kevin Love (five years, $110 million), and they now find themselves with an obscene amount of salary committed moving forward, once a new deal for LeBron James is figured in.
Well into the luxury tax, every dollar matters to the Cavs at this point. Squeezing Thompson may seem a bad look considering how fond James is of him, but even a few hundred thousand could make a big difference to the team's final salary bill. The team also has a lot of bodies in the frontcourt, and so Thompson may be the player they're willing to risk losing.
The most likely case remains that Thompson ultimately re-signs, at a deal somewhere close to what was originally reported. The James connection is one that can't be overlooked, and James' "wait and see" approach to signing his own contract could be the leverage Paul requires to get a Thompson deal done.
Thompson did well to increase his own value this season, particularly on an enormous stage in the playoffs. After averaging 8.5 points and eight rebounds in 26.8 regular-season minutes, Thompson averaged 9.6 points and 10.8 rebounds in the playoffs, shooting 55.8 percent and proving versatile on the defensive end.
