Uncertainty surrounding the upcoming free agent market may work in the Cavaliers‘ favor as they try to keep Tristan Thompson, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Multiple sources tell Fedor that the Cavs are hoping to re-sign the veteran big man, who has spent his entire nine-season NBA career in Cleveland. The front office tried to work out an extension during the season, but didn’t make any progress.
Thompson, whose five-year, $82MM deal just expired, may not find any big-money offers as the league adjusts to massive revenue losses. Fedor notes that apart from the Heat, who are believed to be saving cap space for a more attractive crop of free agents in 2021, all the teams with projected cap space are in rebuilding situations like the Cavaliers.
“I believe there’s a chance of him re-signing in free agency,” a source close to Thompson told Fedor. “He hasn’t necessarily played his final game there.”
Fedor suggests that the Lakers, Clippers or Thompson’s hometown Raptors could offer him their mid-level exception, but the Cavs could easily top that, especially since they own his Bird rights. Another possibility is a sign-and-trade that would send Thompson to a contender while giving Cleveland another asset to build around.
There’s more this morning from Cleveland:
- John Hollinger of The Athletic takes a look at the Cavaliers’ future and questions whether Collin Sexton and Darius Garland can ever form an effective backcourt combination. Both are small guards with deficiencies on defense, and Hollinger believes Garland looked “overmatched” during his rookie season. He suggests that Garland’s long-term role may be off the bench, especially with a guard-rich draft looming.
- In the same piece, Hollinger states that the Cavs should use their mid-level exception to find a wing player who can handle either forward position. He mentions Miami’s Derrick Jones Jr. and Minnesota’s Juan Hernangomez as possibilities, along with a gamble on Memphis’ Josh Jackson.
- After being named to the Rising Stars Challenge this year as an injury replacement, Sexton has set a much higher goal for the future, Fedor writes in a separate piece. “I want to push towards that All-Star Game,” Sexton said Friday during a Zoom call with reporters. “I know what (that stage) feels like and it just makes me hungry and makes me want to work that much harder. That’s what’s next for me.”
If Sexton makes the all-star game I’m coming out of retirement lol
Why? Lol what do you have against the kid? He’s only in his second season and averages 20 PPG. I’m not saying he’s perfect or even that he’ll necessarily make the AS team next year, or ever for that matter. But it’s definitely not out of the realm of possibility given that he already got his scoring up to 20 a game in just his second year in the league.
Bad sausage ?
TT is worth 10 million a year
His market is 6 million
Good team keep own players or have no cap
Bad teams invested money on young players
They don’t need TT. He’s been overpaid. Cavs need to focus on future. Focus on draft and move from there. Top 3 pick is a good place to be. Personally I like Sexton better at PG. Cavs are another team where Edwards would be a great fit.
I think that Garland and Sexton can still be good players, but one of them would have to come off the bench. Garland was generally underwhelming (which probably isn’t a shocker since he missed almost all of his only year in college), so he could take a step forward but it’s too soon to tell.
Sexton is probably a sixth man long-term (and he’d be really good in that role), but obviously that’s not what the Cavs were hoping for. They can both be pieces to build around, but one of them is probably going to have to be a bench player for that to work. Porter Jr. could be a starter at one of the wing spots, but there’s a lot of uncertainty after that.
Avdija would be the best fit with the roster as it’s currently constructed, but if there’s a guard that can pass and open up the offense that’s available for them, they should probably consider that. They’re probably too early on in the rebuild to take a player based on team fit anyway.
The Cavs should probably do a sign and trade with TT. Drummond will almost assuredly opt in, so having a frontcourt with both players would be a bit redundant. Perhaps the Raptors would be a fit if both Gasol and Ibaka opt to depart.
I concur they should look for a wing or small forward in the draft: they need an upgrade over Osman. I was always a bit skeptical about having both Sexton and Garland in the same backcourt. I would give it another couple years to see how they develop before making any drastic decisions however
This man said I concur with your hypothesis
As I said before，Love has good trade value if 80 million contract
TT has good trade value if 2 years 15 million
TT has no trade value if 4 years 40 million
I though Garland would be a little bit better and wasn’t expecting Sexton to be a 20+ points per game guy in his second season.
I think the Cavs I’d they get the opportunity should draft Anthony Edwards to play SG. He’s the best player in the draft and can be a score first or second option and hold his own defensively. If not him it’s a lot trickier.
Do you go Wiseman? Even after you traded for Drummond.
Do you go for Avidja? Who has some big time question marks.
Do you go for Ball? Who would play SG but has still own inabilities…
Cavs can make playoffs next year if trade both garland and sexton for equal value
Make good trade
Cavs didn’t make the playoffs this year, so how does trading Sexton and Garland for equal value make them a better team?!
I really hope you’re a troll, because if you’re serious, wow, just wow.
Good for Sexton… pushing himself to try and get to the All-Star game seems like a solid goal given how well he’s played this season. I know he’s got his shortcomings on Defense and what not… but he’s still young and it’s no small feat to average 20PPG in just his second NBA season. Granted it was for the Cavs who obviously had little around so he may have gotten more scoring opportunities than if he’d been on a stronger team. But never-the-less he definitely put up a strong showing and there’s no reason to believe he can’t build on it going forward.
Players from the Abandoned Eight will probably not get consideration by other teams due to not getting shown. That could be a good thing. Realistically (telling myself), Tristan should be evaluated for his likely future contribution if signed, not for his past in the playoffs or his overpays.
So. He made leadership efforts after getting accused in the coach-firing; he still has the physical attributes; he may have given up beating himself up over not learning a shot; and he was more serious in the paint.