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Daily News - July 31, 2015

**NOTE: The news clips and articles listed don't necessarily reflect the views or beliefs of the Cleveland Cavaliers or their Basketball Operations staff, partners, or sponsors.**

Tristan Thompson has more leverage than you think
Author: Chris Manning
Publication: Fear The Sword

It's hard to know exactly what's going on between Tristan Thompson and the Cavs. There has been little news on the Thompson front since free agency began roughly a month ago and it isn't clear as to where the two teams stand. All we really know is that something - maybe money, maybe something else - has created a gap between the two sides.

Normally, this is pretty standard in restricted free agency. A player is tendered a qualifying offer that they probably won't sign because it means that they'll be risking a ton of guaranteed money and negotiations drag out. The only thing that can speed things up is another team signing a player to an offer sheet.

With Thompson, it's hard to see what team would be willing to do that at this point in the summer. Most other teams are without the necessary cap room to sign Thompson to an offer sheet that they know will be matched. A team could, in theory, sign Thompson to a poison pill offer sheet like the Mavericks did with Chandler Parsons last summer, but the Cavs are operated and built differently than the Rockets. Frankly, there just isn't a scenario where the Cavs don't match an offer sheet. - CLICK HERE to read full story.

5 Players the Cleveland Cavaliers Should Target with Their New Trade Exceptions
Author: Greg Swartz
Publication: Bleacher Report

With virtually no money left to improve their team, the Cleveland Cavaliers have once again turned to the trade market.

The Cavs recently sent seldom-used center Brendan Haywood and guard Mike Miller to the Portland Trail Blazers, along with two future second-round picks, all for the chance to pick up a pair of trade exceptions (via Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group).

Since Cleveland is well over the salary cap, these exceptions will allow them to trade for players for one calendar year without having to send back matching salaries. - CLICK HERE to read full story.