Veteran center Tristan Thompson is returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers after agreeing to a one-year deal with the franchise. Thompson spent the first nine years of his NBA career with the Cavs, who selected him fourth overall in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Thompson hasn’t played at all during the 2022-23 regular season before joining the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of their playoff run. The 32-year-old appeared in six games, averaging 1.8 points and 1.7 rebounds.
Thompson’s first stint with the Cavs was mostly successful. He was the starting center for the Cleveland team that won the NBA title in 2016 and played an important role in the Cavaliers’ four consecutive NBA Finals trips between 2015 and 2018.
The Cavs likely reunited with Thompson to add some veteran leadership and experience to their locker room. Thompson will also provide depth at the frontcourt and might prove to be a useful player for a team that has playoff aspirations.
After leaving the Cavs at the end of the 2019–20 NBA season, Thompson also played with the Boston Celtics, the Indiana Pacers, the Sacramento Kings, and the Chicago Bulls. He has averaged 9.0 points and 8.4 rebounds in the regular season throughout his career. In 94 playoff games, Thompson put up 7.1 points and 7.8 boards per game.
