Prior to the start of the 2019-20 season, the name of Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson was mentioned in plenty of trade rumors.
However, a new report indicates that such talk has diminished due to the perceived lack of quality among the upcoming class of free agents.
Joe Vardon of The Athletic noted how Thompson and Kevin Love have been persistently mentioned as potential trade candidates, though he pointed out that the Cavaliers have dismissed such talk about Love.
That leaves Thompson as a possibility, largely due to his impending free agency this upcoming offseason.
“Thompson, meanwhile, is in the final year of a five-year, $82 million deal,” Vardon wrote. “With an expiring contract, in most seasons Thompson would be an attractive trade piece to contenders looking for an active big man and also to organizations looking to clear cap space for free agency.
“But, league executives said, this is not a normal season in that regard. Trade chatter is way down, one general manager said, because of a less-than-attractive free-agent class in 2020 (of which Thompson is a member).”
The 28-year-old Thompson is in his ninth NBA season and signed his current deal in 2015. While the veteran has always been a force in the rebounding department, his lack of scoring has been a persistent problem in the past. In addition, the once-durable Thompson has had injury issues in each of the past two seasons that limited him to a total of 96 regular season games.
Thompson is currently averaging 14.9 points and 10.5 rebounds, while also delivering career-highs with 2.3 assists and 1.5 blocked shots per contest. The scoring number is more than five points above Thompson’s career average, with the veteran also connecting for his first career 3-pointers, knocking down three during the season’s first month.
The market for Thompson may grow in the months ahead as teams begin to plot strategy for both the postseason and free agent market this summer.
The Cavaliers have reportedly considered the possibility of a contract extension for Thompson, though if they receive a trade offer with enough future assets, they may choose to take that path instead. Until then, Thompson will continue to wear a Cavs jersey.
