For a fleeting moment, it seemed that Tristan Thompson has finally ended his standoff with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
An initial report came out from ESPN saying that Thompson was ready to accept a contract worth $53-million spread over three years and put a conclusion to the long debated issue concerning the Canadian forward's contract demands.
The compromise seemed to make sense initially, seeing that the difference was roughly $2 million if you compare it to the original offer of $80 million spread over five years. So has the issue been finally resolved? Well, not quite.
The thing is while Thompson and agent Rich Paul were amenable to it, the Cavs denied that any deal of such was made.
Cavs general manager David Griffin himself shot down the report by ESPN and said that such contract terms were never discussed.
So in the end, Thompson and the Cavs went back to square one with just a couple of days left before training camp opens.
With all that out, it seems that the Cavs are standing pat on their original offer of $80 million for five years. If not, Thompson could take the qualifying offer and then look to test free agency for a better deal next season.
One may recall a statement made by Paul saying that if Thompson takes the qualifying offer, his client would no longer return to play for Cleveland next season.
But on another note, one has to think if that $80 million offer is still valid. What if the Cavs pull back such offer altogether in the light of the threats that Paul and Thompson have set forth the past weeks? Have the Cavs had enough of Thompson's bellyaching?
All that remains to be seen but from the looks of it, Thompson and Paul are no budging on their demands. And such seems to be the same for the Cavs who, technically, have all the assets they need right now even if Thompson continues to hold out.
