If Thompson agreed to take the qualifying offer from the franchise and leaves next summer, the Cavs won’t have the cap flexibility to find a comparable replacement.
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As for Irving, the star point-guard has been battling with injuries last season.
Although the Cavaliers have never denied the fact that Tristan is an integral part of the team, another undeniable aspect is that acceding to his max contract demand will see them paying an inordinate amount of cash in luxury tax bills.
If they can stay healthy, if David Blatt can use the increased depth on the roster to keep that trio rested, the Cavaliers are the team to beat.
The Washington Post said that it was “really not such a bad turn of events for Smith” as he still ended up playing in the world’s richest pro league and would still have the opportunity to build up his stock and win a championship with arguably the greatest player in the world right now.
Earlier this month, August, we have reported that Tristan Thompson was seeking a long-term maximum contract worth almost $95 million from the Cavaliers.
Personally, I don’t think Love and Irving’s presence would have mattered, since the offensive gains would’ve been negated by the stark decline on the defensive end. Cleveland then handled the Bulls and Hawks before advancing to the Finals. He added, “They did that in 2014-15, with his 36.1 average the lowest of his career”.
LeBron James isn’t getting any younger and, despite his inhuman folklore, he needs to begin to manage the minutes he logs on his body, too.
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The Cavs also want to cut Irving’s minutes. Pluto points out that the re-entry of JR Smith and Iman Shumpert in the Cavaliers will guarantee that James and Kyrie Irving need not overwork themselves during the National Basketball Association seasons.
