Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson remains a restricted free agent holdout.
According to numerous published reports, the big fella did not ink the team’s $6.8 million qualifying offer by the 11:59 p.m. deadline Thursday night, and the standoff in Ohio continues.
Tristan Thompson did not sign qualifying offer, per source with knowledge, which has now expired. Standoff continues
— Jason Lloyd (@JasonLloydABJ) October 2, 2015
At training camp earlier in the day, Cavs GM David Griffin stated that the organization “fully” expects Thompson to show up for practice today. It promises to be an interesting training session.
Per the Akron Beacon Journal:
“We fully expect (Friday) he’ll be here in some form or fashion and we’re excited to get going,” Griffin told NBA TV during a live broadcast of Thursday’s Cavs practice. “We’re hopeful that he wants to move forward with his teammates in the same way we want to have Tristan here. If we can come to some agreement we will.”
The two sides remained separated this week on a long-term deal. Contracts are fairly rigid under the collective bargaining agreement, making holdouts rare in the NBA — although they do happen. Anderson Varejao’s bitter contract dispute spilled into December in 2007 before he finally signed a three-year, $17 million offer sheet with the Charlotte Bobcats that was quickly matched by the Cavs.
“It wasn’t easy for me. I missed the first 21 games if I remember,” Varejao said Thursday. “But I had to do it back then because I felt like I was disrespected with the offer they offered me. I don’t really know what’s going on with Tristan right now, numbers and stuff, I’m not sure. But I’m pretty confident he will be here soon.” […] LeBron James twice in recent days also said he was optimistic the two sides would reach agreement on a long-term deal sooner than later.
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