Tristan Thompson: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation on Cavaliers Star's Future

With the way he has played this year, it seems highly unlikely Tristan Thompson would leave the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, with LeBron James singing his praises, Thompson is bound to cash in during the offseason.

Continue for updates.

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Thompson Should Remain in Cleveland 'For His Whole Career,' Says LeBron

Monday, May 25

If LeBron has his way, then Thompson won't be leaving the Cavaliers any time between now and his retirement, per Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

"Tristan should probably be a Cavalier for his whole career," James said. "There's no reason why he shouldn't. This guy is 24 years old. He's played in 340‑plus straight games, and he's gotten better every single season. It's almost like, 'What more can you ask out of a guy?'"

Haynes went on to discuss how contracts in the NBA could be shifting soon, and multiple teams are interested in Thompson: 

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In regards to Thompson's situation, the dynamics have since changed. The NBA's new $24 billion television deal could radically increase the salary cap from about $67 million next season to approximately $90 million for the 2016-17 season. The Cavaliers will be forced to fork out more than their October offer to retain Thompson.

They will make every effort to bring him back, but league sources have stated that teams are already quietly expressing interest in the soon to be free agent.

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The 24-year-old power forward saw his regular-season averages drop from where they were last year. He posted 11.7 points and 9.2 boards a game in 2013-14 but 8.5 points and eight rebounds in 2014-15. The Kevin Love trade certainly caused much of that decline, as Thompson started just 15 games and played roughly 27 minutes a night.

With Love out for the season, Thompson has excelled for the Cavaliers in the playoffs, particularly on the offensive glass. Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix ventures that Thompson's only strengthening his bargaining position:

Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported in January that Thompson declined a four-year, $52 million offer from the Cavs, which appears to be an astute decision. He'll almost certainly earn a much more favorable salary this summer, especially with the cap exploding in future seasons.

Thompson is a restricted free agent, so the Cavaliers can match any offer he receives from another team. It wouldn't be shocking to see opposing teams get into a bidding war for Thompson if only to force Cleveland to pay way over the odds to re-sign him.