Cavs Rumors: Tristan Thompson ‘Coveted by Contenders’ in Potential Trade

With the NBA trade deadline just a few weeks away, the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to trade not just Kevin Love, but also Tristan Thompson.

While other teams have shown, at most, lukewarm interest in Love, Thompson seems to be a more viable commodity on the open market.

Sam Amico of Sports Illustrated recently wrote about why Thompson should be much easier for Cleveland to trade than Love.

“Unlike Love, there is never any doubting Thompson’s determination or leadership qualities,” wrote Amico.

“Thompson is coveted by contenders because he doesn’t need the ball to make an impact. Instead, he often gets the ball off the backboard and willingly hands it to the stars.

“He would be a great fit just about anywhere.”

Thompson is just 28, which should make him that much more attractive to a contender or would-be contender. It also doesn’t hurt that he played a key role in the Cavs winning the 2016 NBA title.

So far, the 2019-20 season has been Thompson’s best, as he’s averaging 12.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists a game, all career-highs. He’s in the final year of a five-year, $82 million contract.