Tristan Thompson reportedly rejected a four-year, $52 million contract extension with the Cavaliers before the season.
Why?
Thompson holds plenty of implied leverage thanks to sharing an agent with LeBron James. Considering Cleveland wants to keep LeBron happy and LeBron considers Rich Paul’s clients to be family, the Cavs are stuck.
LeBron is even upping he pressure.
LeBron, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
“Tristan should probably be a Cavalier for his whole career,” James said a day after Thompson had a game-saving block in regulation followed by a game-clinching offensive rebound and kickout to James for 3 in Cleveland’s 114-111 overtime win against Atlanta in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. “There’s no reason why he shouldn’t.”
Teammates vouch for teammates all the time. Under most circumstances, that’s all this would be.
But this reads more like a threat.
Enjoy your max contract, Tristan.