Tristan Thompson and the Cleveland Cavaliers have finally put an end to the long-running contract dispute when the 24-year-old Canadian forward accepted an $82 million dollar deal spread over five years.
The deal comes close to the original offer that the Cavs had initially offered though the final numbers was $2 million more. Other than that, there will be no player or team option stipulations on the contract and that all the money indicated is guaranteed.
The deal was announced by general manager David Griffin Thursday.
This means that Thompson will be earning $16.4 million annually and place him as the sixth highest paid power forward in the NBA, similar to the contract got with the Golden State Warriors. Thompson is expected to finally rejoin his Cavaliers teammates as the team prepares for its opening night tussle on October 28 against the Chicago Bulls.
Thompson will have a lot of catching up to do after missing the whole of training camp and the preseason games. This also completes the Cavs initial goals for the year; that of which was to bring back the core of the 2014-15 Cavaliers squad that ended up second to the Golden State Warriors. Thompson took his game up a notch especially when the Cavaliers started losing key members of their frontline rotation. Anderson Varejao went down in the regular season followed by Kevin Love who suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first round playoffs against the Boston Celtics.
His return is also seen as timely with most of the key players on the mend. Love has returned but Kyrie Irving is not expected to suit up until perhaps 2016.
Lebron James may likely be out for the early parts of the regular season after being bothered once again by a nagging back.
The $82 million deal will however cost the Cavaliers this season. They are likely to spend more than $170 million with the current roster, second to the Brooklyn Nets which spent $197 million during the 2013-14 season.
Thompson had originally wanted a $94 million deal spread over five years which the Cavs found too stiff. It was eventually scaled down to $53 million but for three years until both parties agreed on the $82 million contract.
Had the contract not been agreed upon, Thompson would have ended up with only the $6.8 million qualifying offer but with the promise that this would be his last season as a Cav.
The demands of Thompson drew varying opinions, some believing that he may have priced himself too high. Despite putting up double-double numbers, many felt he was not yet worthy of a max contract despite the impending salary cap hike coming next year.
Thompson gets a chance to shut down his detractors when he finally suits up for Cleveland in the regular season.