Tristan Thompson

[buzzdog]

TT is playing like an all-star and he deserves all credit for his play. Having said that does anyone really think TT himself won't want to be traded to a team that is in position to contend right now? I mean, if I were him I would want that. It just seems like the stars are lining up for us to get max value while doing the right thing for both TT and the rebuild.

 

[Cavatt]

TT is playing like an all-star and he deserves all credit for his play. Having said that does anyone really think TT himself won't want to be traded to a team that is in position to contend right now? I mean, if I were him I would want that. It just seems like the stars are lining up for us to get max value while doing the right thing for both TT and the rebuild.

He's in a bad position. Only teams with call to sign a big contact probably don't want him unless he wants to mentor a team like pretty much in the same position as the Cavs.

Is a later first and a bar contact enough? Seemed ok in the summer, but now that Zizic is going AND Henson is expiring. Maybe it makes sense to offer TT something just above the MLE to secure a center. Even if it's 2 year deal, might be good

 

[avs2000]

He's in a bad position. Only teams with call to sign a big contact probably don't want him unless he wants to mentor a team like pretty much in the same position as the Cavs.

Is a later first and a bar contact enough? Seemed ok in the summer, but now that Zizic is going AND Henson is expiring. Maybe it makes sense to offer TT something just above the MLE to secure a center. Even if it's 2 year deal, might be good

I would be open to this. Seems like off court stuff has died down. He certainly worked hard off season. Just not sure what market value is especially since next free agent class sucks

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

I found this in The Athletic (italics mine):

"I’m not sure if Tristan Thompson just wants to play great basketball because he’s a competitor or if he wants to play great basketball to get him out of town by increasing his trade value. Whatever his motivations are, his play to start this season has been some of the best play of his career. The rebounding prowess of Thompson is always present. Keeping him off the boards proves to be nearly impossible every night. His tireless work in positioning himself for caroms on both ends of the floor makes playing against him exhausting for a lot of really dynamic big men. His $18.5 million expiring contract isn’t super easy to fit into any trade scenario for a playoff hopeful or title contender, but it’s very workable.

Thompson’s averages of 16.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 blocks are highly enticing to any potential trade suitors. This Cleveland Cavaliers team is actually a winning squad when Thompson is on the floor. It has outscored opponents by 1.5 points per 100 possessions in the 199 minutes he’s played this season. The majority of those minutes have come with Kevin Love on the floor, and it certainly helps boost his impact playing next to a highly competent veteran big man. Remove Thompson from the floor and the Cavs have been outscored by 21.4 points per 100 possessions in 89 minutes. Go trade for Thompson. He will make your team better and it may only cost you a highly protected first-round pick that eventually turns into two second-round picks."

I can't see trading TT for what turns out to be two second round picks, which I consider useless. Occasionally you catch lightning in a bottle in Round 2 but it's extremely rare. I would need a young player with an upside who is blocked on his current team. Somebody like Pascal Siakam, a #27 pick who averaged under 8 points a game his first two seasons before blossoming into a star. I would give up the last 40 games of TT's Cavaliers career for a player like that. The way Thompson is playing now - averaging 16.5 points while asking to guard the opponent's best player every night while going for the All-Defensive first team, not to mention setting a screen on almost every possession which creates open shots for his teammates, I expect him to be very much in demand. With the parity at the top this season there should be a number of teams very interested in his services.

As for the long term there's no reason we can't sign him after the season, even if he's traded. I doubt the Cavs will be his preferred destination, however. I can see him reuniting with LeBron or going to the Celtics. He'd fit in great with them and Stevens was highly complimentary after the game on Tuesday.

I don't see him blowing off free agency this close to the end of his contract, so trading him seems inevitable. It would be foolish not to.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

The TT we have seen this year is a perfect big-man for this team. He's in the middle of his prime. He's generally durable, he is a good leader and his work ethic is as strong as it's ever been. He has a good relationship with the FO and Coach B.

The Cavs aren't going to trade TT just to trade him. They have plenty of expirings they can use to get a late first or two by taking on money.

If we get to after December 15th when trade season really starts and TT is still averaging 14+ and 10+ on good precentages, and continues to block shots and play good defense....his value could be way higher than we ever expected.

 

[roozy]

The TT we have seen this year is a perfect big-man for this team. He's in the middle of his prime. He's generally durable, he is a good leader and his work ethic is as strong as it's ever been. He has a good relationship with the FO and Coach B.

The Cavs aren't going to trade TT just to trade him. They have plenty of expirings they can use to get a late first or two by taking on money.

If we get to after December 15th when trade season really starts and TT is still averaging 14+ and 10+ on good precentages, and continues to block shots and play good defense....his value could be way higher than we ever expected.

And that's the way it should be.

 

[avs2000]

And that's the way it should be.

Do we sign him before deadline? Or trade him. Cant just let him become a fa and get nothing

 

[Mr. MacPhisto]

Do we sign him before deadline? Or trade him. Cant just let him become a fa and get nothing

If he leaves and becomes a FA you are not left with nothing. You're left with open cap space. That means you can take raw bad money deals back with first round draft picks and only give back late second round picks that only convey if they are in the 55-60 range.

If the Cavs trade no one, they will have about $40M in open space next year if they do not re-sign their own and we only account for the first round draft pick salary.

 

[AllforOne]

If he leaves and becomes a FA you are not left with nothing. You're left with open cap space. That means you can take raw bad money deals back with first round draft picks and only give back late second round picks that only convey if they are in the 55-60 range.

If the Cavs trade no one, they will have about $40M in open space next year if they do not re-sign their own and we only account for the first round draft pick salary.

I don't disagree with the principle of what you are saying, but that approach works only if:

1. You are below the salary cap, and
2. There are available FAs that other teams believe are worth clearing cap room to sign (and, in so doing, paying future firsts as the cost of doing business).

I'm not sure either one applies here.

Yes, the Cavs would be well below the 2020-21 cap if they let all their pending FAs play out their contracts and leave ... but there's almost no chance of that happening. I'd expect them to deal Knight and Henson at a minimum, but the only teams that would want them would be ones who are looking to send the Cavs veterans with longer contracts in return. It's also possible that Clarkson, Delly, and Zizic (also expirings) could be moved in deals that bring back longer-term contracts. Let's say the Cavs take back $40 million in salaries from trading some of those players. If TT then leaves, then they would be letting him leave for nothing, because even with him off the books, they wouldn't have any cap room to absorb some other team's bad contract.

Just as importantly, the 2020 FA class is pretty underwhelming -- the calm before the 2021 storm. I can't see a team clearing the salary decks to make a run at DeRozan or Mike Conley.

All this is to say ... as long as Tristan keeps playing well and stays away from the Kardashian girls, I'd be interested in extending him ... but if that doesn't happen by the trade deadline, then I'd be looking to sell him to the most desperate contender I could find.

 

[Futuredome]

lol, extending this dude...............gawd this board. Just liquidate him for what you can get.

 

[Futuredome]

lol, extending this dude...............gawd this board. Just liquidate him for what you can get.

 

[BigZ94]

TT is playing like an all-star and he deserves all credit for his play. Having said that does anyone really think TT himself won't want to be traded to a team that is in position to contend right now? I mean, if I were him I would want that. It just seems like the stars are lining up for us to get max value while doing the right thing for both TT and the rebuild.

He was on a contender during LBJs last year here and played like garbage. I don’t think he cares about playing for a winner he just wants to secure his bag.

 

[DirtyDan]

He was on a contender during LBJs last year here and played like garbage. I don’t think he cares about playing for a winner he just wants to secure his bag.

He just wasn't a good fit with so many guys who were non-shooters on the floor back then and the injuries held him back.

Now it's a different story, Garland/Sexton/Cedi/Love are all threats behind the arc. This leaves Tristan one on one in the paint more often than not. We're seeing Tristan out hustle his man like he used to do.

I still think he's playing his way out of town. Possibly to his hometown(Toronto), Texas(where he played college ball) or LA. Which is fine, the guy has given the Cavs all he possibly could night in and out

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

If he leaves and becomes a FA you are not left with nothing. You're left with open cap space.

And if you trade him for draft picks you still get the cap space AND the draft picks, right? So is it worth giving up the last 40 games of his Cavaliers career for draft picks while also assuring that we don't win enough games to lose our own #1 pick next year?

The Cavs are being outscored by 21 points per 100 possessions when he's off the floor. Trading him means we probably lose 90% of the rest of our games unless Zizic is a lot better than I think he is.

I'd love to extend him but why would he commit to the Cavaliers when in a few months he could have 30 teams potentially bidding for his services? He has a young daughter living in L.A. and there are two really good teams playing in that town. Not to mention that there's a little bit more to do than in Cleveland, especially if you have a few bucks in your pocket. I can easily see TT landing in L.A. or Boston.

Thompson's numbers so far are way higher than anything he's put up in his career, especially his scoring, but his assists, rebounds, and blocks are also at career highs. I expect there's going to be a lot of parity at the top of both conferences now that the Warriors dynasty is over. The Cavs are going to be getting some serious phone calls.

 

[cavsfever]

Saw the Cavs in person last night for the first time in a while and was astounded at how good TT was. Looked like the best player on the team (very much including KLove who was showing all his flaws that night). Played completely within himself but also highly aggressive in getting buckets, boards, and stops when we needed them