With the Halloween deadline drawing near, it becomes more apparent that Tristan Thompson won't be getting that lucrative contract extension that he is seeking from the Cleveland Cavaliers according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Chris Haynes who reported that their has been "zero discussion" between the two sides.
What's even worse, negotiations have currently stalled and this might cause some level of tension between LeBron James, who holds a very close relationship with Thompson, according to ESPN:
After a summer and fall of good feelings, the Cleveland Cavaliers are facing their first bit of tension involving LeBron James because of contract extension talks with teammate Tristan Thompson.
The Cavs and Thompson have stalled in negotiations, sources told ESPN.com, with a Friday deadline for extensions approaching. Thompson is represented by Klutch Sports and James' agent and business partner Rich Paul, who has worked with Thompson since he was drafted in 2011.
While Thompson has not lived up to expectations as the No.4 overall pick in the 2011 draft, the market has been quite generous for big men and Thompson might just be able to land a huge deal when he becomes a free agent next summer. Kenneth Faried (22nd pick got four-years, $50 million from Denver), Nikola Vucevic (16th pick got four-years, $53 million from Orlando) and Markieff Morris (13th pick got four-years, $32 million from Phoenix) are just some of the examples of how teams around the league have taken good care of big men who can rebound and do some damage in the paint.
But James Herbert of CBS Sports believes that Thompson is not worthy of a huge deal and the only reason why he would land one in Cleveland is because of his relationship with LeBron:
Let's slow down a bit. I'm a fan of the way Thompson plays -- he hustles, he rebounds, he should look great alongside LeBron James moving into open spaces and dunking -- but he is a role player. More than that, he is a role player who is reportedly seeking upwards of $11 million per season. He is not Kenneth Faried, not by a longshot. If he does get a lucrative deal from Cleveland this coming week or next offseason without significant improvement, people will assume it is because he shares James' agent.
The Cavs have already opted to start Anderson Varejao this season and Thompson will have to share minutes with him on the court as the Power Forward position is already locked with Kevin Love and LeBron James and Shawn Marion occasionally sliding down on the spot. Thompson could prove as a valuable sixth man for the Cavs but the team is not just that thrilled on handing him a huge deal and The King wont certainly be happy about it.
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