Drafted fourth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011, Tristan Thompson came into the NBA and immediately saw a lot of playing time due to the fact that the Cavaliers were one of the worst teams in the NBA.
Making a name for himself by being a strong rebounder and rim-protector, Thompson quickly became the Cavaliers starting center and he ended up playing in every single game for Cleveland from the beginning of the 2012-13 season through the 2015-16 season.
When LeBron James returned to the Cavs in 2014 after winning two championships with the Miami Heat, Cleveland instantly became a title threat once again and Tristan Thompson emerged as one of the NBA’s best rebounders after he averaged 10.8 rebounds per game in the 2015 playoffs, helping the Cavaliers make it all the way to the NBA Finals.
The following year, LeBron James carried the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals once again and this time, Cleveland sealed the deal and won their only championship in team history. Thompson averaged 10.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in this championship series against the Golden State Warriors.
Since leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2020, Tristan Thompson has played for the Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls.
The 31-year-old big man entered free agency this offseason as an unrestricted free agent and now in the month of August, he remains unsigned with very few teams needing to add depth in their frontcourt.
This past season, Thompson began the year with the Sacramento Kings before being traded to the Indiana Pacers ahead of the trade deadline. Playing in four total games with the Pacers, Thompson was then waived and signed a minimal deal with the Chicago Bulls for the rest of the season.
In 57 total games this past year with the Kings, Pacers and Bulls, Tristan Thompson averaged 6.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and shot 52.8% from the floor.
A former NBA champion who was one of the best rebounding big men in the league early on in his career, Tristan Thompson could still be a valuable talent for a championship contending team to have on the end of their bench for depth.
It will be interesting to see if there is a team in the league that will be willing to give Thompson another chance to prove his worth late in his career.
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