Cleveland Cavaliers is receiving requests from Tristan Thompson, aged 24, regarding an increase in paycheck. With the season about to start on Oct. 28, both parties are currently stuck on the negotiating table since July, while everybody is preparing for the season.
Cleveland Cavaliers' player Thompson has been asking for a $94 million, five-year contract from the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the team can only offer up to $80 million. If the negotiation fails, it would be a disaster for Thompson especially now that Kevin Love is set to return to the team this season after suffering from an injury, ESPN reported.
Rich Paul, Thompson and LeBron James manager, tried to get a $53 million, three-year contract after the Cavs turned them down with the $94 million deal. With that in mind, Thompson will be taking home $17.6 million a year if the Cavs agreed to a three-year term. Cavs responded by offering a $16 million a year, for five years. The Cavs also offered a four-year deal for $50 million, but was also turned down by Thompson.
LeBron James, on the other hand, is keeping a safe distance at the negotiation issue between the Cavs and Thompson. He said, that "I try not to get involved in that, as far as what the team is speaking on or talking about. It's basically more on a personal level, asking him how he's doing and if his mind is right and things of that nature. There're a lot of things that's much bigger than basketball, even though I know he would love to be here right now and we would love to have him here, but I kind of stray away from that."
Meanwhile, Cleveland Cavaliers says that Lebron James is perfectly fine receiving an anti-inflammatory injection a few weeks ago. James has not been seen practicing ever since.
Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin explained that James' injection was planned and not because of an injury. He also said that James will be practicing more in the coming week so as to prepare for the upcoming season, Cleveland reported.