Cleveland, You Can’t Play Tristan Thompson Again This Season If You Don’t Plan On Trading Him
Tristan Thompson has had a rough couple of weeks. He’s been the subject of a cheating scandal that has consumed TMZ. What’s worse, he’s been out of basketball action for quite some time with an injury. The Cleveland Cavaliers need to assess his trade value. That’s the only reason he needs to play again this season.
Thompson is one of the league’s best offensive rebounders. He’s 4th in the NBA with 4.4 per contest. You’d think GM’s would be lining up at the Cavs door to acquire Thompson. Well, considering he’s set to be an expiring contract at the end of next season, those GM’s could be knocking on the door of the Cavs offices very soon.
Thompson is owed $18 million next season. That’s a hefty price tag for any team to take on. Although, with an expiring contract, there’s the chance a contender decides to take the gamble on Thompson. If he’s not moved by the beginning of next season, he’ll be gone at the trade deadline.
If the Cavs indeed plan to trade Thompson before the start of the 2019-20 season or during the season, they’ll want to showcase his talents to other interested team’s. He doesn’t have the best reputation right now. Many may view him as a distraction.
With the Kardashian drama behind him, we might see things get a bit better off the court. This season went so well for him before the injury. I’d say he’s worth a good haul for the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s highly unlikely the Cavs get multiple first round picks. Tristan Thompson is worth at least one and a few seconds.
The unfortunate side of Thompson’s inevitable departure is the loss of one of the members of the Cavaliers 2016 NBA Championship team. With J.R. Smith set to get traded, Channing Frye retiring, Matthew Delevadova uncertain, all that will be left is Kevin Love. That’s the way of the business.
There’s value in a player like Tristan Thompson. He might not score a ton, have the ability to shoot a 3, knock down his free throws consistently, but he’s a defense-first big who can grab big rebounds. There’s a marker for that. Look at the contract of Steven Adams as proof.
In the end, it makes little sense for the Cavs to play Tristan Thompson unless they plan on trading him in the off-season He’s going to have a market for his services. It’s the off the court issues which will hinder his value. That should all be behind him, though. Teams will be calling the Cavs, and they’ll definitely be listening.
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Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
