LeBron James has agreed to a new deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but Tristan Thompson has yet to get a new contract, creating speculation that the rebounding specialist could accept offers elsewhere.
James made it no secret that he wants Thompson back, which is reportedly one of the reasons why it took long for him to announce a new deal with the Cavaliers.
Thompson averaged 8.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game last season, but the intangibles he provided like the way he was crashing the boards for the Cavaliers made James convinced Thompson should be a Cavalier for his entire career in the league.
"This guy is 24 years old. He's played in 340-plus straight games, and he's gotten better every single season," James told reporters in May. "It's almost like what more can you ask out of a guy, even though we ask for more out of him."
According to USA Today, the agreement James reached with the Cavaliers had nothing to do with Thompson as the two sides are still negotiating for a new deal. The Cavaliers are still considered frontrunners at this point, though, because Thompson is a restricted free agent and Cleveland could match any offer to keep him.
James Signs Two-Year Deal To Stay in Cleveland
Meanwhile, multiple reports confirmed James has informed the Cavaliers of his decision to sign a new contract.
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, James has agreed to sign a two-year contract worth around $46.9 million with a player option in the second year of the deal.
The player option in the second year was not a surprise because James has indicated all along that he wants to wait and see how much he could get when the salary cap goes up dramatically next season because of the new NBA television deal that will take into effect during the 2016-17 season.
James, who averaged 25.3 points on top of 7.4 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game last season, also opted to sign a two-year deal last year with a player option. He opted out of the second year of the deal, which was the reason why he became a free agent this offseason.
Aside from James, the Cavaliers also announced that All-Star forward Kevin Love has agreed to a new deal. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but ESPN reported that the 26-year-old forward inked a five-year deal worth around $113 million to stay in Cleveland.
Love, who arrived in Cleveland last year via trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaged 16.4 points and 9.7 rebounds in 75 games last season.
Click on this link for more Sports News & Updates from Christianity Daily.
