Jeff Van Gundy: Tristan Thompsan is getting the max

[BleedGreen1989]

He said this during his telecast when Tristan was going nuts on the boards.

Thing is, I can see CLE choosing him over Love because he plays his "role" better than Love.

How much was this hyperbole and how much truth is here?

[Who]

Ridiculous. Not a fan. Tweener garbage man. Below average player.

[Rondo9]

I'd give 15 million instead of middleton

[indeedproceed]

He said this during his telecast when Tristan was going nuts on the boards.

Thing is, I can see CLE choosing him over Love because he plays his "role" better than Love.

How much was this hyperbole and how much truth is here?

Jeff Van Gundy likes to say a lot of things, cast a wide net. Tristan Thompson is not getting the max.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Ridiculous. Not a fan. Tweener garbage man. Below average player.

He is a huge reason the Cavs are keeping the losses close and helping them get their 5 wins. They could have kept Wiggins and started Thompson long ago but they still would have needed to pick up the knicks and mosgov.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I heard this too. And though I like JVG, I thought this statement was ridiculous. Thompson's good at rebounding, particularly offensive rebounding, but he's not a great all-around player, certainly not max.

[celticsfan8591]

Doesn't he share an agent with LeBron though? I remember reading a while back that Thompson would likely be wildly overpaid as a favor to LeBron's agent in exchange for him steering LeBron to Cleveland.  It's hard to argue that Thompson is worth a max deal on his own, but he could get the max or something close just because of the weird circumstances.

[jpotter33]

Doesn't he share an agent with LeBron though? I remember reading a while back that Thompson would likely be wildly overpaid as a favor to LeBron's agent in exchange for him steering LeBron to Cleveland.  It's hard to argue that Thompson is worth a max deal on his own, but he could get the max or something close just because of the weird circumstances.

Yep, he turned down a 4 year $52M contract extension this past summer. I've hear many people say he'll end up getting $15M a year, which is beyond ridiculous to me.

[moiso]

He said this during his telecast when Tristan was going nuts on the boards.

Thing is, I can see CLE choosing him over Love because he plays his "role" better than Love.

How much was this hyperbole and how much truth is here?

Love plays a better and more important role but maybe he whines about it a bit.  I'm sure he doesn't want to stand at the 3 point line in every possession and not be able to utilize his passing ability.
Maybe you mean that Tristan is only good a limited amount of things so that's what he sticks to.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I forgot to say, HECK NO HE IS NOT WORTH MAX!

[PhoSita]

He's gonna get at least 12 a year.

And on that team, he'll be worth it.

They should let Love walk and just acquire Ryan Anderson.

[Smartacus]

He said this during his telecast when Tristan was going nuts on the boards.

Thing is, I can see CLE choosing him over Love because he plays his "role" better than Love.

How much was this hyperbole and how much truth is here?

Love plays a better and more important role but maybe he whines about it a bit.  I'm sure he doesn't want to stand at the 3 point line in every possession and not be able to utilize his passing ability.
Maybe you mean that Tristan is only good a limited amount of things so that's what he sticks to.

That's a really underrated point you can still believe that Love is a better player but if Thompson is more comfortable in the roll that they're asking him to play then he might just be more valuable to Cleveland.

Like anywhere else Thompson is a 10-12 Million a year player but Lebron needs a rebounding PF to corral the his lower % Iso jump shot bricks. The type of boards off shots that the other team is so excited that Lebron took that they forget to get the rebound, which is when Thompson comes flying in and restarts the possession. Those boards are back breaking (Dagger rebounds?) especially late.  Someone who will just come in and fill the role every day.

Maybe the Cavs think that's worth the Max. I sure wouldn't pay Thompson that in Boston, but you do have to put the right players next to Lebron since his skill set is so unique.

[pearljammer10]

Love JVG. TT isn't getting the max. That simple.

[saltlover]

He's got his opportunity right now to make it.  I'd be surprised if he gets much less than $13 mil, and the max should be somewhere around $15.8 mil.  It's not far fetched at all, in my opinion.
 

[Eddie20]

Doesn't he share an agent with LeBron though? I remember reading a while back that Thompson would likely be wildly overpaid as a favor to LeBron's agent in exchange for him steering LeBron to Cleveland.  It's hard to argue that Thompson is worth a max deal on his own, but he could get the max or something close just because of the weird circumstances.

Yep, he turned down a 4 year $52M contract extension this past summer. I've hear many people say he'll end up getting $15M a year, which is beyond ridiculous to me.

This is probably true and it has nothing to with performance.

They both have Rich Paul as their agent. In fact, it's been reported/speculated that the Cavs signing James was part of a larger pact in which Thompson would get a lot more than his market value.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/cavs-need-lebron-james-to-show-leadership-he-promised-173753124.html

Woj:

So far, the Cavaliers have witnessed LeBron James, the businessman. As much as ever, the Cavs discovered that the opening week of the regular season in contract talks on forward Tristan Thompson, with the Oct. 31 deadline approaching for the draft class of 2011 rookie extensions looming. James' agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, represents Thompson.

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.

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.