Tristan Thompson

[Pioneer10]

A slight drop in FG% is not a big deal, David Lee's actually dropped for 5 consecutive seasons after posting that 60% in his first year as a PF. TD, Pau Gasol, and Chris Webber all saw their FG% drop after their rookie years but that didn't preclude them from successful careers. You can't base anything off a 12 point difference in Tristan's.

Tristan is at 47% from the field for his career, we're not talking about a lost cause on the offensive end. I don't ever see TT getting up to 20 points a game like David Lee did but I could see him getting up to 17-18 like Horford.

Going down from a godly 60% is NOT the same thing as when your baseline is an average 48% to start with! Christ it's like your scouring basketball-reference for people's FG% without even realizing the value of the stats in the first place. Gasol, Webber, and TD all scored more points then TT and had better FG%. Horford shot the ball significantly better from the field and FT line then him.

Using the word lost cause is weaselly as well implying that we're making him sound worse then he is: he's look to project out to be an average NBA PF offensively. If Tristan played 40+ mpg he could probably already get into the 15ppg range. That doesn't mean he's a good offensive player or will be. Every example that's been provided show that other guys who develop into offensive stars score more and/or do it more efficiently (with most of them doing both)

 

[Spencer Hawes]

You know, posters keep point out these player stats in wins vs. losses (several times in Kyrie's thread), but I'm not really sure what it proves. Of course his numbers are better in a win. He plays a significant role on this team, and if he doesn't play well, then the team is going to struggle. What I want to see are his numbers playoff teams/non-playoff teams.

All these current numbers show is that Tristan is important to the Cavs in the team's current state. Doesn't mean another player couldn't have a bigger impact.

Actually, those numbers show that an efficient PF is important to winning basketball. One that doesn't struggle to finish inside and can shoot over 50%.

 

[Cashius X]

17-18 points/game for Tristan!? That would take an ungodly amount of improvement in his game unless you plan on us sucking forever and him shooting 40% from the field.

He's a homer.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Going down from a godly 60% is NOT the same thing as when your baseline is an average 48% to start with! Christ it's like your scouring basketball-reference for people's FG% without even realizing the value of the stats in the first place. Gasol, Webber, and TD all scored more points then TT and had better FG%. Horford shot the ball significantly better from the field and FT line then him.

Completely missed the point, which is you can't draw conclusions a slight dip in FG%. I used some of the best power forwards of the past 20 years to show how little it means on what a player can accomplish, not to compare TT to them. I've given David Lee and Al Horford as true comparisons, yet you've disregarded them because they were more efficient. Looking at those numbers, TT is not far off from what those players were doing at the same point in their careers. Everyone that you've mentioned entered the league as a significantly better shooter than TT did, he still has time to develop that part of his game.

Knock him for inflated stats by playing heavy minutes all you want, but he's earned them by proving capable of playing 30+ minutes of good defense and great rebounding. He defends the pick and roll as well as Andy (no other big is close), and he's our quickest big out in space defending guards. He's also doing this while rarely fouling, which is usually a problem with young bigs.

Using the word lost cause is weaselly as well implying that we're making him sound worse then he is: he's look to be average NBA PF offensively. If Tristan played 40+ mpg he could probably already get into the 15ppg range. That doesn't mean he's a good offensive player or will be. Every example that's been provided show that other guys who develop into offensive stars score more and/or do it more efficiently (with most of them doing both)

He's an average offensive PF right now, he's 17th in points per game and 15th in FG%. He's doing this at 22, years away from hitting his ceiling. Yet this board is still undervaluing him constantly, straight up trades for JJ Hickson and Derrick Williams? How the fuck does that make sense?

 

[Derek]

Out of the 40 PFs that have played enough minutes to qualify on ESPN.com Tristan ranks 31st in scoring/48 minutes and most of the PFs below him in FG% shoot a good amount of 3 pointers which actually makes them more efficient than him

 

[EdMonix11]

Not sure how much longer I can watch TT miss these bunnies inside of 10 feet of the basket. It's inexcusable......

 

[Certified Beast]

I'm not labeling him as anything. I still think he could eventually become a starting quality pf. I see his ceiling as a 16 and 12 guy when he peaks in a best case scenario.

What worries me is most in addition to his finishing ability which I expect to improve, is his inability to catch passes. I think this relates directly to his struggles around the basket. He essentially gives the defense twice as long to recover. I'm not sure how much this can improve and it's gotten really bad.

 

[Simon]

Happy birthday to the young fella! He turns 23 today. Still has a lot growth to do, lots of potential.

 

[Pioneer10]

Not sure how much longer I can watch TT miss these bunnies inside of 10 feet of the basket. It's inexcusable......

Don't worry guys: Al Horford showed the same inabilities at the tender age of 23. Atlanta fans were all divided about how he couldn't finish strong and had terrible range

 

[cavfanintexas]

You'd rather watch a fun team than wait a little while and have a team that can actually contend? That's terrible.

And who is advocating trading him now? I don't see anyone doing that. Moreover, why would we trade him and then sign another PF Your post is everywhere...

Did not have time to respond but what is terrible about watching a game and enjoying it. I've been a fan of the Tribe, Browns, for 60 years, and the Cavs 44 years and enjoy every victory and feel pain with each loss.
So if it terrible to watch them win, my gain and your loss. I've waiting for a championship longer than most of you have been live. So relax and enjoy the game.

 

[DELONTEizDad]

Jesus fucking Christ- I believe I saw Tristan get the ball stripped from him by someone's ass earlier after which he spastically flailed his arms trying to draw a foul.

So shitty around the hole. He is just so incredibly shitty.

I cringe any time he gets a dump off pass.... even if he's all alone I know he's going to take an hour and a half to gather himself to go up then by that time someone will disrupt the shot.

This has to fucking improve. It is so fucking brutal. These are gimme points for our offense and ToeThumbs fucks it up more times than not.


UPDATE: around 7:45 left in the 3rd coming down the middle of the key with a dump off to him on the break he just.... I don't know what it was. He was looking for contact when there wasn't any to be found, missed a gimme that he floated instead of went strong with, then fell on the floor. He fucking has grade school/8 foot hoops type problems around the basket right now, that's the only other place I've seen garbage like this. I hope it's just a slump.

Further update: play after saves ball under own basket to a wide open Curry at the 3 point line. 5 point swing. Now a totally spastic offensive foul. Curry another 3..... Jesus, Tristan! Time out. Out of TO hits hook floater for first FG of the game... phew.

 

[blazenmp]

Now a totally spastic offensive foul. Curry another 3..... Jesus, Tristan! Time out. Out of TO hits hook floater for first FG of the game... phew.

Spastic is a good word to use here

 

[Alec]

Given his tools and feel for the game, TT now is likely who he'll be. I don't envision an optimistic develop curve. Trade him before he gets expensive.

 

[Certified Beast]

I know that his overall feel for the game is lacking, but I still think a lot of it can be addressed by coaches. If they repeatedly tell him not to throw himself at the basket in an uncontrolled manner, I think he'd improve on it at some point.

 

[cavfanintexas]

Jesus fucking Christ- I believe I saw Tristan get the ball stripped from him by someone's ass earlier after which he spastically flailed his arms trying to draw a foul.

So shitty around the hole. He is just so incredibly shitty.

I cringe any time he gets a dump off pass.... even if he's all alone I know he's going to take an hour and a half to gather himself to go up then by that time someone will disrupt the shot.

This has to fucking improve. It is so fucking brutal. These are gimme points for our offense and ToeThumbs fucks it up more times than not.


UPDATE: around 7:45 left in the 3rd coming down the middle of the key with a dump off to him on the break he just.... I don't know what it was. He was looking for contact when there wasn't any to be found, missed a gimme that he floated instead of went strong with, then fell on the floor. He fucking has grade school/8 foot hoops type problems around the basket right now, that's the only other place I've seen garbage like this. I hope it's just a slump.

Further update: play after saves ball under own basket to a wide open Curry at the 3 point line. 5 point swing. Now a totally spastic offensive foul. Curry another 3..... Jesus, Tristan! Time out. Out of TO hits hook floater for first FG of the game... phew.

I watched the game 3 times did you notice who was guarding TT it was their center one of the best rim defender in the league. With Hawes in the game the other center will not come out to defend so on TT is giving up 3 or 4 inches on offence. If we are going to start Hawes we would be better off starting AV with him and have TT and Zeller coming off the bench.