NBA news: Tristan Thompson plans to leave Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in talks with restricted free agent Tristan Thompson all summer, but negotiations between both parties have come to a stalemate. Thompson, a vital piece in Cleveland’s NBA finals campaign last June, was reportedly close to completing a long-term deal with the Cavs worth more than US$90 million (AU$122.7 million). However, Thompson’s agent announced on Tuesday that the 24-year-old forward will potentially take Cleveland’s qualifying offer to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Thompson’s agent Rich Paul has told Sportsnet that the Canadian international will accept the Cavs’ one-year US$6.8 million (AU$9.2 million) qualifying offer, instead of the multi-year contract both sides originally negotiated, the Business Insider reported. If Thompson accepts the team’s qualifying deal, he can become an unrestricted free agent next year, when NBA teams’ salary cap balloons.

"A Tristan Thompson qualifying offer will be his last year with Cavs," Paul said, reports Cleveland.com.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the contract impasse between Thompson and the Cavs are different this year because of a looming salary cap increase in 2016, when the NBA jumpstarts its new TV deal with ESPN and Turner worth US$24 billion (AU$32.7 billion). The report suggested that Cleveland offered significantly less money to the 6-foot-8 power forward, who was looking for a max contract. However, with the salary cap set to leap next summer from US$70 million (AU$95.4 million) to US$88 million (AU$120 million), there has never been a better time in the league to be a free agent.

Thompson, a tenacious rebounder, stepped up for the Cavs during the postseason after all-star forward Kevin Love suffered a shoulder injury. The Canadian youngster had a playoff average of 9.6 points and 10.8 rebounds last season, while shooting 55 percent from the field. Thompson is one of the few gems remaining in the free agent market, but the big man’s unrestricted FA status makes it unlikely for him to be chased by other teams.

Meanwhile, the Cavs have been linked in trading for Los Angeles Clippers sixth man Jamal Crawford. Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com claimed that Crawford would definitely like to join the Cavs’ organization, adding that Cleveland could use Brendan Haywood’s trade exception to sign the veteran scorer.

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