Veteran center Tristan Thompson, who spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers, has signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the minimum amount established for a veteran player, according to information published by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
It will be a significant return for Thompson to an organization where he has excelled. It should be noted that he was the fourth pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and was selected by the Cavaliers, during the best era in the franchise’s history.
At the start of his career, he was a key part of the LeBron James era in Cleveland, with four consecutive NBA Finals, from 2014-2015 to 2017-2018.
Thompson started all 21 games for Cleveland during the 2016 NBA Championship. When James left, Thompson stayed with the organization and is highly regarded by the team’s coaching staff, fans and management.
Thompson averaged 9.4 points on 51.8 percent shooting from the field, 61 percent shooting from the free throw line, 8.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.7 blocks and 0.5 steals per night in his first nine seasons with the team.
In 2022-2023, the center signed with the Lakers and was only able to appear in the postseason due to an injury. His time with the Californian organization was fleeting, but he was able to reunite with his friend LeBron.
