NBA Free Agents Rumors: Miami Heat Tipped to Keep Goran Dragic; LeBron James Wants Tristan Thompson to Stay
The Miami Heat are still favored to keep impending free agent Goran Dragic despite strong interest from several teams.
The Miami Herald reported that the Heat are planning to play a fast-paced type of offense moving forward, and Dragic will be a key factor. Heat president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra have reportedly informed Dragic about their plans to play faster in seasons to come.
With assurance from Riley and Spoelstra that the Heat's offense will fit his playing style, Dragic is reportedly leaning toward staying in Miami even if several teams are interested in acquiring him.
Sources said the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings are planning to make a strong push to acquire Dragic this offseason.
Dragic, who was acquired by Miami in a trade with the Phoenix Suns before the trade deadline in February, averaged 16.6 points and 5.3 assists to go along with 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 26 games with the Heat this season.
LeBron James Wants Cleveland Cavaliers To Keep Tristan Thompson
Meanwhile, LeBron James said that Tristan Thompson should stay in Cleveland for his entire career.
Thompson, who will become a restricted free agent this summer, has been providing a huge boost to the Cavaliers in the playoffs, especially after Cleveland lost All-Star forward Kevin Love for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury he sustained in the first-round series against the Boston Celtics.
Thompson is averaging 8.9 points and 9.8 rebounds to go along with 1.3 blocks in the postseason. James said that he cannot see any reason why Cleveland will not offer a contract that will convince Thompson to stay.
"This guy is 24 years old. He's played in 340-plus straight games, and he's gotten better every single season," James said of Thompson via ESPN. "It's almost like what more can you ask out of a guy, even though we ask for more out of him."
Cavaliers coach David Blatt echoed James' statement, saying that the fourth-year forward is the kind of player every coach would want on his team because the former Texas standout is ready to play his heart out whether he is coming off the bench or starting for Cleveland.
"Every team wants guys like that, who take on whatever role is asked and embrace it and do their very best to help the team in the ways that the team needs, and you've seen Tristan do that this year," Blatt said of Thompson, who turned down a four-year extension worth $52 million in the offseason.
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