Although the return of LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers is pretty much in the bag, it appears that the four-time NBA Finals MVP is taking his sweet time before actually inking the deal. Apart from the humorous email he sent Dan Gilbert earlier this month, the King has been noticeably quiet when it comes to his contract with the team. According to ESPN, James intends to wait out the completion of the negotiations with the other players before finalizing his own contract.
The report was confirmed by Rich Paul, the agent handling James, who also revealed that the basketball star has no plans of moving forward with the negotiations until the Cleveland Cavaliers secures a new contract with Tristan Thompson, one of the players under the restricted free agent terms. Paul, who "made it known" that the King set this condition as a precedent to his re-signing, is also the agent handling Thompson.
"LeBron has made it clear, 'Look we're not going to talk until Tristan Thompson is done.' Here's the problem, Cavs talks with Tristan Thompson have stalled," said ESPN's Brian Windhorst, according to Business Insider. He added, "They're going to have to figure something out with Tristan Thompson before LeBron James. That's leverage. And Tristan Thompson, his agent Rich Paul, and LeBron James are playing that game right now."
Prior to this news going public, some fans and followers of the team and the King pointed out a notable quote uttered by the MVP himself regarding Thompson. While no confirmation was given by any of the parties involved, it appears that James aims to see Thompson in the Cleveland Cavaliers until the very end.
"Tristan should probably be a Cavalier for his whole career," James stated following a practice round with the team, according to CBS Sports. He added, "There's no reason why he shouldn't. This guy is 24 years old, he's played in 340-plus straight games, and he's gotten better every single season. It's almost like 'What more can you ask out of a guy?'"
Earlier this month, it initially looked as if Thompson and the team are finally going to reach an agreement. On the first day of free agency, the two parties was reported to "essentially come into terms" with a five-year deal at $80 million per annum for Thompson. However, the talks broke down along the way and none of the parties have released any update regarding the deal. Should the Cleveland Cavaliers actually push through with the deal with Thompson, Business Insider points out that Gilbert will be paying one of the heftiest luxury tax bills in the history of the NBA.
