NBA Free-Agency Rumors (Photo : REUTERS)
As his contract fiasco with the Cleveland Cavaliers remains unresolved, there's a wild card chance Tristan Thompson might be eyeing another option that would fulfill his dream of playing with his national teammate Cory Joseph and hometown ball club, the Toronto Raptors.
The 24-year old Thompson is surprisingly available in the free-agency market as contract talks with the Cavaliers drags on into the second month of free-agency. After playing a pivotal role in the Cavs' playoff run last season, the former Texas Longhorn standout is reportedly asking for a contract that would pay him $85 million over five years.
The Cavs were thought to have already locked in Thompson for a multi-year deal on the first week of the free-agency, but their lucrative commitments with LeBron James, Kevin Love and Iman Shumpert along with a rising tax bill projected to reach $95 million prompted the Cavs front-office to take a pause on shelling out more money.
Although the team insisted of re-signing Thompson to a deal no matter how much money would it take, the Cavs are hoping they could retain the big man's service on a much cheaper deal or perhaps convince him to accept a qualifying offer worth $6.7 million.
According to Cavs blog writer Kevin Cox, it's unlikely Thompson would accept such a qualifying offer, knowing that his value might take a plunge next season as Kevin Love and Anderson Verajao returns from their respective injuries.
The Cavs will have the Larry Bird right to match any offer placed on the table for Thompson. However, Cox believes the longer this contract impasse gets the bigger the window of opportunity opens for the Raptors to make a run at acquiring the big man.
"There is another wildcard looming that Thompson may be eyeing but I will repeat that this is an absolute longshot. Masai Ujiri, team president and general manager of the Toronto Raptors, once said this about the possibility of them going after Canadian players to play for their home country," Cox stressed.
General manager Masai Ujiri has been scouting for Canadian-born talents to play for the Raptors, calling it an obligation the team has to fulfill. They recently landed their first Canadian-born free-agent in Joseph and it wouldn't be surprising at all if they pursue another before the free-agency window closes.
Tristan was "super pumped" for long-time friend/National Team running mate Cory Joseph, said it's every Canadian's dream to be a Raptor
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) July 13, 2015
In an interview with Raptors beat writer Josh Lewenberg, Thompson considers playing for the Raptors a dream. With Joseph already North of the border, it might not take long if he makes his own dream a reality too.
As Cox pointed out, the Thompson to Raptors scenario might be a long-shot for now, but the situation could drastically change if the Cavs still can't get him on board in the succeeding months. Accepting the qualifying offer is sure a risky move for Thompson, though it's the only option if he really wants to return home next year.
