he Cleveland Cavaliers and Tristan Thompson are reportedly finalizing a deal to bring the NBA champion back to the franchise, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Thompson played nine seasons in Cleveland, winning one championship and three other Eastern Conference finals, averaging 9.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
Alongside LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, Thompson was a key member of the Cavs’ championship run in 2016, starting all 21 playoff games and averaging 6.7 points and 9.0 rebounds while playing solid defense.
The 6-foot-9 forward signed a two-year contract with the Boston Celtics on Nov. 30, 2020. Thompson played 54 games in Boston averaging 7.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists over 23.8 minutes per game. The Celtics traded Thompson to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team deal on July 30, 2021.
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The Kings sent Thompson to the Indiana Pacers in a three-team deal with the Atlanta Hawks. After playing just four games for the Pacers, Thompson’s contract was bought out on Feb. 17, 2022, and Thompson reached a deal with the Chicago Bulls for the remainder of the season.
Thompson remained unsigned for the majority of the 2022-23 NBA season before the Lakers signed him for their postseason roster. He made just six appearances and played 5.3 minutes per game in the team’s run to the Western Conference Finals, averaging 1.8 points and 1.7 rebounds.
Over the course of 12 NBA seasons, the 32-year-old played in 730 contests, averaging nine points, one assist and 8.4 rebounds per game. He also appeared in 94 playoff games where he averaged 7.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 26.9 minutes played.
