The Cleveland Cavaliers have reportedly made Tristan Thompson available ahead of the trade deadline. Would he be a good pickup for the LA Clippers?
The Cleveland Cavaliers have reportedly made center Tristan Thompson available ahead of the trade deadline according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports. Haynes says the Cavaliers are in “asset accumulation mode” and are willing to ship the 28-year-old out. Would he be a good pickup for the LA Clippers?
The Clippers could use some more size to shore up their center rotation which currently consists of Montrezl Harrell and Ivica Zubac. While both have played well, many wonder what will happen in a seven-game series against teams like the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz.
Thompson stands 6’9″ but has shown he can be extremely effective, especially as a rebounder. He’s in the midst of the best year of his career, putting up 11.9 points per game while also bringing down 10.4 rebounds which puts him in the top-ten in the league.
He also brings a ton of playoff experience having been with LeBron James in Cleveland during his second stint.
What would it take for the Clippers to acquire Thompson? This is where it gets tricky. Thompson is on the final year of his deal, making a hair over $18.5 million. To match salaries, the Clippers would have to give up Maurice Harkless and Rodney McGruder or a combination of Harkless, Jerome Robinson, and Derrick Walton Jr. That likely doesn’t do it for Cleveland though as none of those players are really “assets”.
The Clippers could package in some second-round picks in hopes to move the needle but there is no guarantee that the Cavaliers make that move. The only other real asset the Clippers can offer is this year’s first-round pick but since it’s their only real trade piece, I cannot see the team being excited to give it up for an expiring Thompson.
While this trade doesn’t seem likely to go down, it’s something that should be watched. If Thompson isn’t dealt, he very well could be a buyout candidate where the Clippers could add him without giving up anything.