Cleveland Cavaliers' Tristan Thompson (L) and Toronto Raptors DeMar DeRozan. (Photo : Reuters)
Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Tristan Thompson ignored the team's one-year qualifying offer and is reportedly headed to the Toronto Raptors next summer if he can't get his desired long-term contract with Dan Gilbert's club. But is Toronto ready to pay him and DeMar DeRozan max contracts at the same time?
ESPN reported that the 24-year-old Toronto native allowed Cleveland's $6.8 million qualifying offer expire last Thursday night without agreeing to it, which means that Thompson can now only play for a multiyear deal or not play at all.
As a restricted free agent, he could also receive contract offers from other teams, but the Cavs is allowed to match any bid on his table.
Thompson and his camp recently rejected a five-year, $80 million offer from the Cavs because they allegedly want a $94 million max deal for the same number of years. However, Rich Paul, Thompson's agent, proposed a compromise of three years and $53 million that Cleveland has not replied to yet.
Meanwhile, DeRozan is in the second to the last year of his four-year, $38 million contract with the Raptors.
Sports World Report indicated that he is "available for a new deal now" but it looks like the 26-year-old All-Star is intending to opt out of his contract next year in the hopes of getting more money as the league's salary cap spikes next summer.
Raptors GM Masai Ujiri reportedly said that there will be no discussions with regards to their star shooting guard's contract this year as he expects DeRozan to test free-agency next year and the franchise wants to be a key player for his services when that time comes.
Paul mentioned the Raptors as Thompson's possible destination if the Cavs don't give in to their demands. There were speculations that Paul was just "tossing out team names" for leverage, but that Toronto is not really interested with his client.
Which leaves the question, can Ujiri and the Raptors really afford to sign Thompson and DeRozan next summer?
