Jordan Clarkson has been shipped to Utah Jazz, and if there are any takers, Kevin Love might be next to move out, or it could be Tristan Thompson. That is how busy the Cleveland Cavaliers are at the moment. The team is supposedly ready for a first-round offer and Thompson is on the table for the taking.
The nine-year veteran is surely an asset as far as the Cavs are concerned, but the team right now is forward-looking, or more appropriately in a bit of rebuilding mode. Cleveland seems well aware that a shot at the NBA title is not on the menu right now, so they might as well utilize Thompson to acquire fresh talents.
The center might just be used to deal with any team willing to offer a first-round pick, according to Chris Fedor, and as quoted by Fadeaway World.
"Because of Thompson's contract situation, his murky future and the many ways he can help a playoff contender, there's been plenty of chatter about him being dealt ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline, especially if the Cavs get a first-round pick in return," Fedor was reported as saying.
While a first-round expectation might be hard to come by, for now, Thompson will certainly command interest from NBA clubs looking for someone that will provide imposing presence inside the paint. The Canadian, after all, has been registering impressive numbers in the season.
His accuracy on the floor stands at 50 percent, leading to 12.8 points per game. Thompson also hauls down the loose ball big time, rebounding 10.1 every game, and he makes things happen for his teammates, dishing out 2.3 assists in every outing.
The only downside for him is on the free-throw area, currently converting just half of all attempts, but at least Thompson is decent enough beyond the arc, boasting of 42 percent from the area.
Clearly, the big man is a magnet for any team, though, as mentioned in the report, a deal would be hard to secure a first-round pick is somewhat scarce for now, no thanks to the busy free agency dealings that occurred last summer.
In a related story, Bleacher Report affirmed Thompson would play a key role for any team wanting to win the Larry O'Brien trophy. He was part of the Cavs' starting five that pocketed the 2016 NBA Finals.
Thompson was in double figures as the starting center for Cleveland at that time. His 10.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game surely mattered when the Cavs turned back what was then the juggernaut Golden State Warriors. And to be sure, Thompson could again play a prominent role if given a chance to reappear in the Finals.
