Former Celtics Center Lands Contract with Cavs

Bobby Krivitsky | Sep 6, 2024

Mar 24, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) gets a dunk against the Miami Heat during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

After a second-round exit courtesy of the Celtics in a five-game clash in the postseason, the Cavaliers kept their core intact, retaining Donovan Mitchell despite trade rumors swirling around the star guard. The two sides agreed to a three-year, $150.3 million max extension this summer.

In late July, Cleveland signed Evan Mobley to a five-year rookie max extension worth $224 million and tacked three years and $91 million onto starting center Jarrett Allen's contract.

The Cavs' most significant change was at head coach, going from J.B. Bickerstaff to Kenny Atkinson.

As they apply the final touches to their roster before training camp starts, the Cavaliers re-signed a team leader and valuable voice in the locker room, reportedly agreeing to a one-year deal with Tristan Thompson, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 33-year-old center averaged 3.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 49 games with Cleveland last season.

The former Texas Longhorn has spent ten of his 13 professional seasons with the franchise that made him the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Five years later, he helped them capture their only championship. He was also a member of the LeBron James-led core that made four trips to the NBA Finals.

After nine seasons with the Cavaliers, Thompson appeared in 54 games with the Celtics during the 2020-21 campaign, producing 7.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest. Boston then traded him to the Kings in July of 2021.

Thompson, whose role is now more about mentorship, played in ten playoff tilts last postseason, averaging 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 8.7 minutes of floor time.

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