Just how much power does LeBron James wield in the Cavaliers organization?
And by extension how much sway does his agent, Rich Paul – who says LeBron considers the agency and other clients to be family – hold in Cleveland?
Tristan Thompson really want to know.
Paul cleared the way for LeBron’s return to the Cavaliers, and no matter how much they’ve struggled so far, they should be grateful to land an NBA superstar. One of the ways they could express their gra ude is awarding Thompson, another client of Paul’s Klutch Sports agency, a hefty new contract.
It seems they tried.
James is the biggest reason Klutch Sports exists, and he's an active recruiter of high school, college and current NBA players to join the agency. Of course, plenty of players help their agents recruit. So when James committed as a free agent in July, everyone understood there was a tax – spoken or unspoken – that would come with James' return, that would manifest itself in an above-market deal for Thompson.
Thompson's a rebounder, a defender, an energy guy. He isn't a starter on a playoff team, but he has a good at ude, a good motor and could be a role player anywhere in the NBA. Paul isn't the first agent to leverage a more prominent client's extension against another, nor the last.
Even so, at what price? Within the NBA, officials expected maybe $10 million a year, perhaps $12 million if Klutch wanted to push it. Well, they kept pushing it. Thompson turned down a $13 million-a-year extension offer – four-years, $52 million, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
For a player of Thompson's stature, this is an incredible risk. An injury could cost him lifetime security. Nothing close to that money exists on the restricted free-agent market this summer, but with James on a one-year deal, Klutch can try to leverage the Cavaliers all over again to get the deal they want – or simply take the one that was already offered.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/cavs-need-lebron-james-to-show-leadership-he-promised-173753124.html
Just like those idiots on Deal or no Deal who don't know when to stop
If Tristan Thompson could turn down a deal like this, god knows how much Deandre Jordan will command in the open market.
Not sure what's worst, this or Lebron pushing Cavs mngmt to replace blatt with mark jackson![]()
i doubt too much tbh, there aren't too many teams that can offer max money anymore.
You underestimate owners stupidity
Hey Cavs, have fun overpaying all of Lebron's friends for the next decade.
Please let them overpay and most of all let LeBron resign. The Cavs will contend next year. I swear!
Yep. gonna be laughing my ass off when Lebron bails again leaving them behind with this ed up team of Lebron's friends freakshow. I don't think this organization will ever be able to recover from , maybe after a decade or so.
Last edited by Chomag; 01-14-2015 at 06:40 PM.
How many teams have worse front office/management than the Cavs, at the moment, tbh?(Not looking NBA-wide, I'm referring to all of pro sports)..
I don't see Tristan Thompson getting more money from any team at any point in his career... Dude must be delusional
Pay the man; they've earned it. This is the best Cavs start to a year since LeTom first left. It's also Love and Irving's best start to a season in their careers.
Lakers' front office made some terrible decisions the past few years, but their job this past off-season was A+ IMO..they're on the correct track..
The Browns.
Snyder era Redskins are right there. Knicks are right there with the worst of all time IMHO.
The Raiders up until about a year or two ago tbh. Maybe the Nets?
In the NBA, only the Nets and maybe the Kings are currently as bad IMO..
NFL has the Browns, Redskins, and not sure who else? Jags?
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