The Cleveland Cavaliers have re-signed Tristan Thompson for the 2024-25 season. The extension will see him remain in Cleveland for the following season, with a fully guaranteed contract.
With Evan Mobley and Jarret Allen presumably running the frontcourt, does this move even make sense?
Here’s a look at the Thompson re-signing, and whether or not he can make a difference with this Cavaliers team.
Thompson’s play
As far as his game goes, he’s not the same difference-maker he once was. At least, not in the same way. Last season Thompson averaged 3.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and an assist per game. Compared to his last season in Cleveland, this doesn’t look particularly impressive.
| Thompson Basic Stat Comparison | |||
| Season | PPG | RPG | APG |
| 2019-20 | 12.0 | 10.1 | 2.1 |
| 2023-24 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 1.0 |
However, he’s an entirely different player than he once was. Where he was once the center anchoring a LeBron James led super team, he now sees himself backing up younger, more talented players. This may not seem like a positive for Thompson (or Cleveland), but there are some interesting aspects to his evolved game.
For starters, his role has already greatly diminished. Where he once played most of the game and was expected to contribute to a championship-caliber team, he’s now expected to supplement a team whose identity has formed entirely without him. He’s playing less minutes, getting less touches and bearing less responsibility.
For the most part, this change has benefitted Thompson’s efficiency. He may not be scoring as many points or grabbing as many boards, but he’s certainly doing so at a higher clip.
| Thompson Statistical Comparison | ||||
| Season | 2P% | 3P% | eFG% | TOV |
| 2019-20 | 51.8 | 39.1 | 51.8 | 1.8 |
| 2023-24 | 57.8 | N/A | 60.8 | 0.6 |
While he’s putting up smaller numbers, he’s shooting more efficiently from two (while avoiding his bad shooting all together), taking better shots and committing less turnovers. He’s also playing seriously reduced minutes, averaging only 11.2 minutes per game, compared to 30.2 in 2019-20.
It is also important to mention that, while his stats were efficient, he also missed 25 games due to testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance. While he played excellently before the suspension, being one of the players who could spark energy off the bench, he seemed to struggle after returning.
Is it worth it for Cleveland?
Considering Cleveland already has their two premier big men locked up, Thompson won’t be expected to carry a heavy load. Reflected in his salary, and contract length, he’ll be expected to be a much more supplementary player.
In this role, Thompson could very well find his groove. Similar to players like Dwight Howard, JR Smith and Carmelo Anthony (not that Thompson’s at this level), Thompson could easily reinvent his game. He kind of has already, in fact.
So was it worth it for the Cavaliers? If Thompson is able to put up the same quality stats he did last season, then it very well could be. Even if his production isn’t substantial, the efficiency he put on display last season would be an excellent, if consistent, support to the Mobley-Allen tandem.
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Featured photo courtesy of NBA.com
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