The future of Tristan Thompson of the Cleveland Cavaliers remains murky. However, several teams are reportedly interested in the Canadian basketball player. The latest team linked to the 28-year-old big man is the Washington Wizards.
Hearing about the Wizards' interest in Thompson hardly comes as a surprise. Washington is in need of a big man, and the 6-foot-9 cager is a plausible choice. This season, Thompson has played in 48 games, averaging 11.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists according to Basketball-Reference.com. With the Wizards toting a 17-32 win-loss record, he could be the missing piece to push Washington into the next round.
However, the Wizards need to factor in his current contract. Thompson is set to hit free agency this summer once his deal runs out. He is set to make $18 million this NBA season before becoming an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. Thompson is expected to look for bigger offers on the table as mentioned in a previous post.
There is no question that Thompson brings something extraordinary to the table. He does the dirty work by banging bodies and collaring rebounds. Candace Buckner pointed out how the Wizards would have his bird rights if they find a way to get him to their fold.
Should the Wizards successfully find a way to keep Thompson beyond the season, Washington may sport a new look. Bradley Beal needs help, and their chances could be better once John Wall is able to return to active duty.
Before going that far, there is the matter of who the Wizards would send to the Cavaliers. Cleveland is likely to want future picks, meaning head coach Scott Brooks will have to re-assess his pans for the ballclub. Washington is one of the teams ushering a youth movement. Hence, he needs to weigh the pros and cons of getting a tested veteran in Thompson.
For the Cavs, it is no secret that they are open to dealing away Thompson and Kevin Love. In a previous post, the consensus from within is that the two will be departing by Feb. 6. There are several teams who could use either Love or Thompson, and it all boils down to the assets head coach John Beilein would get.
Of the two, Thompson is likely to be an easier player to acquire, particularly in the monetary sense. Love owns a hefty $120 million deal, something that is making his potential exit harder and tricky.
