Tristan Thompson reportedly could take qualifying offer, leave Cavs in 2016

In the greatest stalemate on this side of Hayes vs. Tilden, restricted free agent Tristan Thompson continues to hold out for a new deal from the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 24-year-old forward, who was said to be seeking a max or near-max deal, is reportedly in a deadlock with the team, having made no real progress in contract talks since mid-July. Now, Thompson may seriously be considering just taking the one-year qualifying offer and bolting the team as an unrestricted free agent in 2016.

ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst reported on Thursday that the two sides remain far apart on an agreement:

There is no clear precedent for his position, which has led to a stalemate between Thompson and the…