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Tristan Thompson

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As I wrote in my latest piece on the front page, the Cavs gave up two first round picks for Mozgov. That indicates a desire to keep him. TT will be locked up this summer. The reason they didn't bring in a big contract for Haywood has to do with next summer and paying Mozgov. They're trying to keep the luxury tax bill in check as much as possible now because they know they have to pay Mozgov. However, TT's deal will not be as bad next summer. Bigs like Festus Ezili will be getting $10 million a year. It's just the way it is. This is your Cavs team moving forward for the foreseeable future.
 
Chopz said:
As I wrote in my latest piece on the front page, the Cavs gave up two first round picks for Mozgov. That indicates a desire to keep him. TT will be locked up this summer. The reason they didn't bring in a big contract for Haywood has to do with next summer and paying Mozgov. They're trying to keep the luxury tax bill in check as much as possible now because they know they have to pay Mozgov. However, TT's deal will not be as bad next summer. Bigs like Festus Ezili will be getting $10 million a year. It's just the way it is. This is your Cavs team moving forward for the foreseeable future.
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I just think the way we're structuring the team doesn't make a ton of sense. We've got a huge proportion of our financial commitments tied up in 4 big men if what you're saying plays out, and only 2 of those 4 can start and only 3 can get significant minutes given that Love will want at least 30 to 34 mins a game and it wouldn't make sense to play Mozgov less than 20 (why pay a guy 15 mil a season to play less than 20 mins?)

We're looking at Max contract for K Love then probably 15 mil per season deals (or more) for Mozgov and Tristan, plus 10 mil per year for Andy. That just seems like poor asset allocation. Meanwhile we're not particularly deep at SG or SF. To me it might make more sense to rely on Mozgov, Love and Andy and probably Kaun and then try and grab another serviceable backup in free agency next year for a vet minimum or the Miller TPE or via a sign and trade for Tristan. I realize losing TT weakens us, but if the Cavs basically decide that someone has to go, maybe Tristan is the guy that makes the most sense given the huge cost we are facing.

I realize that it's quite possible that TT and Moz are both with the Cavs long term but I think you're being a bit overconfident. There's a lot of scenarios that could force the exit of at least one of them from the Cavs. I also think TT coming back on the QO for this season is quite possible, while you're essentially saying there's zero chance.
 
Chopz said:
As I wrote in my latest piece on the front page, the Cavs gave up two first round picks for Mozgov. That indicates a desire to keep him. TT will be locked up this summer. The reason they didn't bring in a big contract for Haywood has to do with next summer and paying Mozgov. They're trying to keep the luxury tax bill in check as much as possible now because they know they have to pay Mozgov. However, TT's deal will not be as bad next summer. Bigs like Festus Ezili will be getting $10 million a year. It's just the way it is. This is your Cavs team moving forward for the foreseeable future.
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I'm conflicted here, however, with what, if anything, the Cavs will do with the TPEs. If the Cavs use the TPEs in any form in order to bring on a player(s) during the season, they take on the full tax burden of that player as well. If they "didn't bring in a big contract for Haywood" because of having to pay Mozgov next summer, then wouldn't that stop them from trading for one during the season? Would the wait until the off-season where the tax burden would be lumped into the 2016-2017's luxury tax? I can't see the Cavs doing nothing with the TPEs, considering that they gave up assets to get it. Maybe they'll use one or part of one this season, and then use the rest in the off-season?
 
There is zero chance of that happening. There is also zero chance of TT not being on this team while LeBron James is on the team. I'm not trying to be obtuse about it, but that's just facts with the situation. The reason they're keeping Andy is because his contract essentially becomes a trade asset in two years when his deal becomes non guaranteed. I also am not overly confident about Mozgov, I simply know that the Cavs intend to keep him. He will be an UFA. There's going to be multiple suitors and that price would easily get out of their range. That's why locking down TT this summer is important. There's a legit chance that TT is the starting Center in two years.
 
Yes. The reason for the TPE's is to keep up flexibility. Say they can't get JR back. Then they can use either to bring in help. Or if someone gets injured. Then they can use them this year. Using them next summer would be under the new salary cap, and thus more room. They didn't want to add to the luxury tax bill this summer because it won't be as bad next.

Free Agency God said:
I'm
conflicted here, however, with what, if anything, the Cavs will do with the TPEs. If the Cavs use the TPEs in any form in order to bring on a player(s) during the season, they take on the full tax burden of that player as well. If they "didn't bring in a big contract for Haywood" because of having to pay Mozgov next summer, then wouldn't that stop them from trading for one during the season? Would the wait until the off-season where the tax burden would be lumped into the 2016-2017's luxury tax? I can't see the Cavs doing nothing with the TPEs, considering that they gave up assets to get it. Maybe they'll use one or part of one this season, and then use the rest in the off-season?
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Chopz said:
Yes. The reason for the TPE's is to keep up flexibility. Say they can't get JR back. Then they can use either to bring in help. Or if someone gets injured. Then they can use them this year. Using them next summer would be under the new salary cap, and thus more room. They didn't want to add to the luxury tax bill this summer because it won't be as bad next.
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So what you're saying is that, barring an injury or failure to bring back all of our major contributors from this past season, they wouldn't use the TPEs until next off-season due to the tax break they get from having a risen luxury tax point?
 
As specific examples, yes. The TPEs are security blankets. If something doesn't go as planned, they can use them as an asset. Whether that be an injury, or whatever. A TPE was used in the Moz deal last year, which was accelerated to make the team a contender. The advantage of doing this rather than trading Haywood's contract for a player this summer is that they can wait and see what happens and what they might need, if anything.


Free Agency God said:
So what you're saying is that, barring an injury or failure to bring back all of our major contributors from this past season, they wouldn't use the TPEs until next off-season due to the tax break they get from having a risen luxury tax point?
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I have no doubt that the Cavs will want to re-sign Mozgov. Griffin targeted him from last summer, and he played the best basketball of his career last year for the Cavs. Assuming he has comparable success this year, even with Tristan and Love on the roster, losing him would create a real gap in their frontcourt.

But the fact the Cavs gave up 2 first round picks for him (and got a second rounder in return) in January 2014 shouldn't be a factor in their decision as to whether to give him the money he will command in summer 2016. I just think you need to make that decision independent of the trade. The picks are gone regardless. Now the calculus could turn out to be that you need to re-sign him regardless because you wouldn't have the resources to replace him or what you could replace him with would be considered far inferior, presumably with the TPE, since the mini MLE will not have much buying power.
 
Blast said today in the Israeli media that the Cavs will sign TT soon. He also said they are still waiting for JR Smith.
 
Paul said:
Would it be a "legal" move to have TT play for the QO this season, then, after the 2015-2016 season is over, sign him to a lucrative deal and trade him to another team?

I'm wondering if this could have merit because it would allow us one more year with him at a reasonable rate and then we could still get some assets in return for him and he gets the big money he requires.
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We could, but his salary for matching purposes would be severely lessened.
http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q89
http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q89
 
Don't see how we sign Mozgov unless we sign Smith to a 1 year deal and trade Andy. That's prob close to 15 mil right there and imo Mozgov will command more than TT. Mobile durable 7 footers with talent get overpaid grossly.
 
JR is likely only to return on a 1-year deal at this point, honestly. Andy will also likely be traded with the way his contract is set up in the future. But yeah, the Cavs will have to think long and hard about what they want to do with Moz next summer.

Kizzle said:
Don't see how we sign Mozgov unless we sign Smith to a 1 year deal and trade Andy. That's prob close to 15 mil right there and imo Mozgov will command more than TT. Mobile durable 7 footers with talent get overpaid grossly.
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