The LA Clippers should use Ty Lue to help target Tristan Thompson

The LA Clippers should use Ty Lue to help target Tristan Thompson.

The LA Clippers look to be an active team in free agency this offseason. With not a lot of trade assets and little cap space, however, there is only so much they can do. The team will have the ability to re-sign some of their own players and will have the mid-level exception available. Outside of that, they can only use veteran minimum contracts to bring in personnel. Enter Ty Lue.

With one of the team’s bigger holes being the backup center position (especially if Montrezl Harrell leaves), the team will need to find a big on the cheap. The addition of Ty Lue as the head coach might help in more than one way given that Tristan Thompson is a free agent.

Thompson played under Lue in Cleveland where the two (along with some help from a certain LeBron James) brought the franchise their first title. Now, Cleveland is in the rebuilding stage and Thompson is coming off a lucrative deal. Having made so much money in Cleveland, Thompson could turn his eyes towards contributing to a winning organization.

There are likely to be many suitors in the free agency market for him including the Lakers who have LeBron James (Thompson is represented by Klutch) and have money to spend. Still, after a solid playoff performance, they are likely to re-sign Dwight Howard and already have JaVale McGee on the roster.

If Thompson is looking to move to a contender, the Clippers are the perfect fit. The team has a need for a backup big to Ivica Zubac that can handle opponents’ bigger centers. Thompson also brings solid defense and good rebounding while not needing the ball on the offensive end. In short, he fits the mold of exactly what this team needs.

This season in 57 games, the 28-year-old Thompson averaged 12.0 points on 51.2% shooting, 10.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 blocks, and 0.6 steals.

Playing in LA would be an added bonus for Thompson, who is back in a relationship with Khloe Kardashian and resides with her in Los Angeles during the offseason. The combination of location, having a defined role, playing for a former coach, and being on a contributor might be enough to sway Thompson to join the Clippers even if he does get a bigger offer from other teams.