Tristan Thompson is still at it some 13 years after his NBA career began.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Friday that the veteran big man Thompson is finalizing a deal to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Thompson will be getting a new one-year contract from the Cavs, Wojnarowski adds.
The now 33-year-old Thompson was a lottery pick by the Cavaliers in 2011 (No. 4 overall) and developed into a dependable role player for the team. Known for his energy and rebounding prowess, Thompson started on all four of Cleveland’s NBA Finals teams during the 2010s (including in 2016 when they won it all).
Of course, Thompson has not been a very useful NBA player for years now. He already returned for his second stint on the Cavaliers last season, mostly being relegated to mop-up duty (3.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per game) and also serving a lengthy suspension for a violation of the NBA’s anti-drug policy.
But Thompson remains a respected and well-liked veteran who knows the ins and outs of the organization. For a Cavaliers team that has steadied the ship in a lot of different ways this NBA offseason, Thompson is worth the continued roster spot, regardless of the actual minutes that he receives.
