It might not make Blatt feel much better about the way things went down, but if nothing else, it ought to be a hell of a motivational tool for the guys at Darüsşafaka Doğuş.
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Smith is reportedly seeking a significant increase in salary after making just $5 million despite starting all 21 playoff games. Cleveland is realistically the only team Smith can sign with for the money he’s looking for. He has no idea when he’ll sign with the Cavaliers-“Soon, I hope”, he says.
As beyond-belief items go, though, ones that end with you getting large hunks of gleaming diamond-encrusted jewelry aren’t that bad, I suppose.
It’s widely expected that Smith will be back with the Cavs. Team morale-wise, there are a few teams that I could see working. Smith’s options are seemingly also limited, with the only teams with significant cap space remaining – the 76ers, Nuggets, Nets, Suns and Jazz – either being in rebuilding mode or already stocked at shooting guard.
“Well, obviously we’re not where we want to be at from a personal standpoint”, Smith told Complex. “It depends on how you look at it”. Being able to live in that city or a particular place, school systems, kids, family life-[with] free agency, everything comes into play.
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The Cavs were not at risk of losing Thompson last year before he ultimately signed a five-year, $82 million extension because he was a restricted free agent. One of those people will be Blatt, who was the head coach for the first 41 games (exactly half of the regular season) of the 2015-16 season, per Akron Beacon Journal’s Jason Lloyd. With training camp coming close, the two sides haven’t come to an agreement even if it seems inevitable.
