There are still a lot of players left unsigned and two of them last played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They are Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith, both with contrasting cases.
On one hand is Thompson who is a restricted free agent. While the Canadian basketball player has not been linked to other teams, the belief is that Thompson will re-sign with the Cavaliers. The only question of course is when that will happen.
For now, it seems to be all about the money. Thompson wants a max contract but the Cavs may not be offer him that much. A near-max contract could suffice though recent news reveals that he could settle for a one-year deal instead.
Why would Thompson opt for a one year deal? Well for one, Thompson could earn more if he takes it slow. With the NBA salary cap expected to spike in the following years, his preference for a max contract right now could pry him away from additional money in the succeeding years.
On the other hand, J.R. Smith's case is different. Despite earlier saying that he wanted to return to the Cavs, the fact remains that he could have easily done so had he opted in before NBA Free Agency started.
Now he finds himself looking for a team interested in his services and paying him a large amount, something that Cavs may apparently have trouble with considering their tight salary budget.
The only way for Smith to come back as a Cavalier is to take a severe pay cut to fit him into the team. While that seems to be the trend right now, it could be far from happening considering the large chunk of money he stands to lose.
While Dan Gilbert wants both players back, Thompson is likely to be the only one returning. Smith could end up jobless, something he should have thought of before opting out of his last contract with the Cavs.
