Would you sign and trade for T. Thompson at full 4 year max?

[Moranis]

No, I would not. 

At the end of the day, I think the Cavs overpaid, I think they did what LeBron told them to do.   I could see them moving Love at some point.  I hope not here.

So Cleveland has something like a $45m (about half the cap) invested in Love, Thompson and Varejao over the next 3 years?

Throw in a combined $50m for Lebron, Kyrie and Shumpert.

Given the injury history of Love, Varejao, Kyrie and Shumpert they really are making a big gamble.

This team will have some of the same problems that past team have had.   No flexibility.

except this team is actually constructed well and has two stars in their primes to pair with James.  In addition, they have a pretty darn deep and good bench.  In fact the 2nd five might actually be an upper 20's win team alone (if healthy) with Delly, Williams, Smith (when Shump is back), Thompson and Varejao.  Not to mention Richard Jefferson, Sasha Kaun, James Jones, and the improving Joe Harris.  The Cavs are set up to win the next 5 titles.  I'm not suggesting they will, but they have the pieces in place to be the odds on favorites for awhile.  Heck even as James ages, Irving and Love will still be in their primes so they could be around as contenders for 8 seasons (with relatively good health and re-signing their guys). 

[bdm860]

The Cavs signed him because Mozgov is still injured, Love is coming back from surgery (and injured a lot), and Varejao is made of glass.  They need a guy that they can count on for 30 minutes a game for 82 games down low.  That and he is one of the best offensive rebounders in the game, is close with James, is always in shape, plays within the system, is generally well liked, etc.  The Cavs gave him an extra 2 million and let him save face because they want to keep everyone happy and it was dollars they would have spent the whole time anyway.  Thompson just needed to come into the reality that he wasn't getting a full max of over 90 million.  Once that happened it was just a matter of time.

There is something to be said for health.  Teams keep paying guys who always seem to be injured.  Over the last 3 years, Thompson is one of only 3 players to play all 82 games (along with Deandre Jordan and Damien Lillard), and over the last 4 he's tied for #6 missing only 6 games his rookie year.

If he continues to play 82 games a year over the next 5, it doesn't look as bad, it's only $200k per game.  Did some quick math to compare to what other players made per game considering they're injured all the time:

Derrick Rose (after rookie contract): $867k
Gilbert Arenas ('08 contract): $581k
Grant Hill (Orlando contract): $465k
Amare Stoudemire (NY contract): $359k
Dwyane Wade (2011-2015): $$260k
Kevin Love (after rookie contract): $259k
Anderson Varejao (after rookie contract): $158k (and it jumps to $245k per over last 5 years).

And keep in mind all those contracts were under a much lower salary cap, if you calculated those deals under the upcoming cap, the gap would be much, much wider.  Five years from now, will he still look overpaid on a per game basis compared to all the other guys who signed contracts this summer?  Cleveland gave Varejao around $40m/4yr extension last season.  Which player is Cleveland going to get more value out of considering time actually spent on the court?

Of course guys like Derrick Rose and Brook Lopez were pretty healthy their first few years in the league too, so you never know how things will turn out.  It would definitely be interesting to look at the entire league on a per game basis instead of total salary though.

[pearljammer10]

Not a chance.

[Celtics4ever]

except this team is actually constructed well and has two stars in their primes to pair with James.  In addition, they have a pretty darn deep and good bench.  In fact the 2nd five might actually be an upper 20's win team alone (if healthy) with Delly, Williams, Smith (when Shump is back), Thompson and Varejao.  Not to mention Richard Jefferson, Sasha Kaun, James Jones, and the improving Joe Harris.  The Cavs are set up to win the next 5 titles.  I'm not suggesting they will, but they have the pieces in place to be the odds on favorites for awhile.  Heck even as James ages, Irving and Love will still be in their primes so they could be around as contenders for 8 seasons (with relatively good health and re-signing their guys).

I think they are one injury away from having trouble in LeBron with his back.   Last year proved that injuries could derail them but to be honest they could derail any team.

Win now, does not always work.  But teams are always trying it, only time will tell.  Karmically CLE is due.

[Moranis]

except this team is actually constructed well and has two stars in their primes to pair with James.  In addition, they have a pretty darn deep and good bench.  In fact the 2nd five might actually be an upper 20's win team alone (if healthy) with Delly, Williams, Smith (when Shump is back), Thompson and Varejao.  Not to mention Richard Jefferson, Sasha Kaun, James Jones, and the improving Joe Harris.  The Cavs are set up to win the next 5 titles.  I'm not suggesting they will, but they have the pieces in place to be the odds on favorites for awhile.  Heck even as James ages, Irving and Love will still be in their primes so they could be around as contenders for 8 seasons (with relatively good health and re-signing their guys).

I think they are one injury away from having trouble in LeBron with his back.   Last year proved that injuries could derail them but to be honest they could derail any team.

Win now, does not always work.  But teams are always trying it, only time will tell.  Karmically CLE is due.

well yeah if the best player in the world gets hurt that would affect the Cavs title aspirations.  I think that goes without saying.