Getty Tristan Thompson, Cavaliers
For the last few weeks, Tristan Thompson was one of a few featured topics of trade discussions for the Cavaliers. Those talks fizzled, though, and he stuck around through the deadline. But when he returned to the lineup on Sunday—he’d missed two games with a quad injury—he found himself coming off the bench behind Cleveland’s big trade-day target, Andre Drummond.
Thompson had started all 48 games in which he’d appeared this season and played 31.0 minutes per game. He played 19 minutes on Sunday, with Drummond as the starter.
Despite the slashing of his role, Thompson will not ask the Cavaliers for a buyout on the remaining $18.5 million on his contract. As Rachel Nichols of ESPN tweeted, “Agent Rich Paul has told ESPN that (Thompson) isn’t interested in taking a buyout from the Cavaliers.”
Rich Paul has told ESPN that @RealTristan13 isn’t interested in taking a buyout from the Cavaliers; @PaulPierce34 pitches him otherwise on behalf of Celtics nation.
That did not stop Nichols’ colleague, former Celtics star Paul Pierce, from pitching a stop in Boston to Thompson.
“Tristan,” he said on the air, “you are the one player that can put the Boston Celtics over the top. Taking a couple extra less millions is worth it. It’s worth it. … That would put them over the top. That’s just what they need a physical presence, a veteran leader, a champion.”
Rockets a Potential Tristan Thompson Landing Spot
Of course, the Celtics would not be the only team potentially interested in Thompson. The Houston Rockets, who traded away center Clint Capela ahead of the deadline and have committed to a small-ball style in which 6-7 Robert Covington is the team’s starting center, would leap at the chance to bring in Thompson.
And the Rockets have a big advantage over the Celtics: They’ve already got an open roster spot. Houston could sign Thompson without waiving another player.
If the Celtics wanted to sign Thompson, or anyone on the buyout market, someone would have to be waived. Because he is a center, Boston would almost certainly have to cut one of its current big men. Already, the Celtics have five centers on the 15-man roster plus Tacko Fall on a two-way contract.
Starter Daniel Theis and free-agent signee Enes Kanter would certainly be safe. So would rookie Grant Williams, a first-round pick, and second-year center Robert Williams, who had been averaging 14.2 minutes but is out with a hip injury.
That would mean Boston would have to waive French rookie Vincent Poirier, who is signed for next season at $2.6 million. For a team creeping toward the luxury tax, having dead money on the books is an unpalatable option.
Thompson’s Role to Shrink Further with Cavaliers
As for Thompson, things don’t figure to get better for him in Cleveland, where he’d helped the Cavs to a championship in 2016. He had been having a good year, his career-high in minutes corresponding with career highs in points (11.9 per game) and rebounds (10.4 per game). He’s shooting 50.8 percent from the field.
But he won’t be seeing major minutes now. Thompson is a free agent this summer, as is Drummond. Cleveland traded for Drummond with the intention of re-signing him, which would mean Thompson would be on his way out. He could be used as part of a sign-and-trade in July.
Even without the Drummond trade, it was likely that Thompson would not be returning to the Cavaliers, who are rebuilding. That’s where not seeking a buyout could hurt Thompson. If he plays out the remainder of this season in Cleveland, his numbers will slump.
It’s safe to assume that Drummond’s minutes will increase going forward (he played 28 on Sunday) and Thompson’s role figures to shrink even further. The two are pure centers and can’t be on the floor together. Drummond averaged nearly 34 minutes per game in Detroit this season. That would push Thompson down to about 13-14 minutes per game.
Not the best way to go into free agency. But without a buyout, that’s how Thompson will finish this year.
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