PHILADELPHIA, PA - November 23: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to Tristan Thompson #13 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on November 23, 2018, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 121-112. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) photo credit: Getty ImagesGetty
Earlier this season, Tristan Thompson made a bold claim that the Cavaliers were still the team to beat and that the Eastern Conference, "ran through Cleveland" despite losing LeBron James to free agency. Well, Thompson may have been a bit off as the Cavaliers are currently 4-14 and most Eastern Conference teams are running the Cavaliers over. But, despite the Cavaliers record, Thompson appears to be embracing his claim with his play on the court.
This season Thompson has been consistently great in every one of his appearances for the Cavaliers. He is currently averaging 11.1 points 11.4 rebounds (5.2 on the offensive glass) and has been vital in both of Cleveland's last two wins. Against the Philadelphia 76ers Thompson had 18 points, 13 rebounds (8 offensive boards), a team-high +19 rating and even made MVP candidate Joel Embiid look pedestrian at times. Thompson followed up his big outing against the Sixers the following night against the Houston Rockets with 16 points, 2 assists, 4 steals and a hefty 20 rebounds. These games have been a common occurrence for Thompson, which is a stark contrast to last season.
During the Cavaliers 2017-18 campaign, the team was making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Thompson fell victim to this as well. Off the court, Thompson's personal life was well-publicized, which is expected when his significant other is Khloe Kardashian. Unfortunately, videos circulated of Thompson online showing that he was unfaithful to Kardashian, who was days away from giving birth to their daughter. Obviously, these actions are unacceptable and embroiled Thompson in a ton of controversy. On the court, Thompson's play was also making the news.
Across the board, Thompson's stats were horrendous last season with Cleveland with averages of 5.8 points and 6.6 rebounds, 2.4 of them on the offensive glass. Thompson was also hampered by a strained calf and looked like a shell of himself, losing his starting spot to Kevin Love at center. Due to Thompson's bad play, his value to the Cavaliers was a common point of contention among fans. Thompson was the Cavaliers fourth-highest paid player last season, making $16.4 million and with each bad game, his contract was beyond inexplainable. By the time the Golden State Warriors finished sweeping the Cavaliers in the 2018 NBA Finals, Thompson's value throughout the NBA was at an all-time low.
When James left the Cavaliers for the Los Angeles Lakers, a lot of people feared that Thompson's value would just continue to plummet. Instead, Thompson has been a welcome and pleasant surprise for Cleveland, especially during a tough rebuild. Thompson has put the NBA on notice that he is not washed up and not a product of James' success. He has showcased his ability as one of the NBA's best rebounders and his tenacity for cleaning the glass has made his contract now a lot more valuable.
If Cleveland were to trade Thompson, they would likely find plenty of interested suitors among NBA contenders. The Los Angeles Clippers could offer a package centered around Jerome Robinson and Marcin Gortat and add to an already elite rebounding core. Thompson's hometown Toronto Raptors could send Jonas Valanciunas and a protected 2019 first-round pick, making an instant upgrade by adding Thompson's rebounding and tenacity. Finally, the Rockets could desperately use Thompson's defense and rebounding by sending Cleveland Brandon Knight and their own 2019 first-round selection.
Thanks to his outstanding play, Thompson's trade value could not be higher for Cleveland. After the team extended Larry Nance Jr. this summer, it certainly made Thompson expendable. But, Nance has been a bit of a dud after his extension and Thompson has outplayed the franchise's cornerstone more often than not. Thompson has been consistently great for Cleveland and if the team were not to trade him, the team would still benefit greatly from it. In this scenario, the Cavaliers could explore trying to restructure Thompson's contract and extend him to something a bit more salary cap friendly. This time last year many fans thought Thompson's days were numbered in Cleveland but now it seems like there is a good chance he could play in Cleveland for the entirety of his career.
No matter what Cleveland decides to do with Thompson, he has value to the franchise. If he goes, the Cavaliers will likely get either a first-round draft selection or some kind of young talent to add to their core. If Thompson stays, he could easily be an anchor for the team and help lead them into the future. No matter what both parties do one thing is clear: Thompson is still by far the best rebounder in the NBA, and this year he is making sure everyone remembers it.
