Tristan Thompson agrees to five-year, $82 million deal with Cavs
After a lengthy stalemate, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson has finally agreed to sign a new contract with the team. Thompson’s agent Rich Paul, who also represents LeBron James, told Yahoo’s Marc J. Spears that his client agreed to a five-year, $82 million deal. The contract is fully guaranteed.
Cleveland.com’s Chris B. Haynes first reported the deal.
Thompson and his representatives had reportedly been holding out for a max contract worth $94 million. He had declined to sign a qualifying offer from the Cavs that would have made him a restricted free agent after this season.
Last month, ESPN’s Chris Broussard erroneously reported that Paul would have Thompson sign a deal worth $53 million over three years. Broussard later clarified that those figures were merely the terms of a deal Thompson would be willing to sign.
Thompson confirmed his return to the team with an Instagram post Wednesday night.
• MAHONEY: What is Tristan Thompson really worth to the Cavs?
Thompson, 24, has played in 306 of Cleveland’s 312 games since he entered the league in 2011. He started every game in the two seasons before James’s return and came off the bench last year while playing behind Kevin Love. With Love injured for much of the playoffs, Thompson started 15 postseason game, averaging 9.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.
- Dan Gartland
