Cleveland Cavaliers Roster & Rumors: LeBron James Wants Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith Back Next Season
The Cleveland Cavaliers have made big signings this summer, but superstar LeBron James wants the team to get better for another possible title run next season.
James said that their offseason has been good so far, but he said the Cavaliers still need to make moves, including keeping Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith in Cleveland.
"It's been good so far, but we have a lot of work to do," James told reporters. "We still got to re-sign Tristan. Hopefully we can bring back J.R. as well and see if there's some other free agents out there that'd love to come here and play if we're able to do that. Right now, we've been doing so far, so good."
James has been lobbying for a new contract for Thompson since midway through last season. When free agency began, reports indicated the four-time Most Valuable Player, who shares the same agent as Thompson, will not sign his new contract until the Cavaliers offer a new deal to their hardworking forward.
However, James has already signed a two-year deal worth $46.9 million with a player option in the second season of the deal. According to Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers are willing to strike a five-year, $80 million agreement with Thompson earlier this month, but the camp of the 24-year-old is lobbying for an $85 million contract.
Thompson, who is a restricted free agent, averaged 8.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 82 regular-season games with the Cavaliers last season. In 20 playoff games, the former Texas standout posted 9.6 points on 55.8 percent shooting from the field to go along with 10.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
On the other hand, Smith opted out of the final year of his deal worth $6.4 million. The three-point specialist is reportedly looking for bigger salary and a long-term deal, but the Cavaliers appear unready to give into his demand.
One option is bringing the veteran guard on a short-term deal or find another shooter in a trade using the nonguaranteed $10.5 million contract of seldom-used center Brendan Haywood.
The Cavaliers have several players who became free agents this season. Aside from James, Thompson and Smith, Kevin Love and Iman Shumpert also hit the market, but both players have already inked new deal with the team.
Love, who missed all but four games in the playoffs last season because of a shoulder injury, agreed to a maximum five-year, $113 million contract, while Shumpert inked a four-year, $40 million contract. The Cavaliers also added veteran point guard Mo Williams, who signed a two-year deal worth $4.3 million.
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