Tristan Thompson could have his jersey retired by the Cleveland Cavaliers one day
Tristan Thompson has quietly been making a case to have his jersey retired by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Like most of the work he’s done, Tristan Thompson’s ascension up the Cleveland Cavaliers’ postseason rebounding leaderboard has gone largely unnoticed. So don’t be surprised to hear that he’s on pace to have his jersey retired by the Cavs.
By that, I mean he’s on pace to break the rebounding records of players whose jerseys already have been retired.
Thompson’s workman style and ferocity under the glass are well-noted throughout the league. These two factors resulted in him passing Brad Daugherty for third all-time in Cavs’ postseason rebounds in the opening round of the playoffs, as the Cavs took on the Indiana Pacers.
Thompson, who has 4,027 career rebounds, is on pace to pass Daugherty (5,227 career rebounds) in that category in two years.
With his third rebound in Game 2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Thompson passed Daugherty, finishing the game with 10 rebounds after pulling down 13 rebounds in Game 1.
Despite Daugherty’s early retirement, he was one of the most dynamic power forwards in the NBA throughout his career. He was able to score inside and outside, he was a terrific facilitator, a solid defender and a great rebounder. He played a heady and controlled game.
His all-around skillset fit very well beside Mark Price and Larry Nance in the Cavs’ last “Big Three” and he would be instrumental to five postseason appearances before retiring thanks to back issues and spinal surgery. Though he would fall to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in 4 out of 5 postseason exits, much like Paul George and the Indiana Pacers struggles getting past LeBron James in the playoffs, it’s hard to hold it against a team or player for failing to get past the most dominant force of his era.
Thompson’s also on pace to pass Zydrunas Ilgauskus for second-place on the Cavs’ all-time leaderboard by Game 4 of 2017 NBA Finals.
To pass Ilgauskus, the feat will require 31 total rebounds. Thompson, who’s been averaging 9.3 rebounds per game this postseason, is on pace to pass Ilgauskus before the second half of Game 4.
Passing Ilgauskus, who was a skilled 7-foot-3 Lithuanian center whose only weakness was a lack of quickness, should be a monumental moment for Thompson and not just a milestone.
Ilgauskus is the Cleveland Cavaliers all-time leader in games played (771) and one of the most beloved Cavs of all-time. His jersey was retired by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 in no small part due to his place in the Cavs’ record books. He’s also the Cavs’ all-time leader in offensive rebounds (2,336) and total rebounds (5,904).
Thompson is on pace to pass Ilgauskus in both categories in three seasons.
While Thompson is unlikely to develop the jump shot that Ilgauskus had or even come close to his blocks record, as “Big Z” is also the Cavs’ all-time leader in career blocks (1,269), it’s possible that Thompson will have his jersey retired as well.
He’s ascending up the Cavs’ rebounding leaderboard quickly and has been a key cog in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ last three postseason runs. After this Finals series, he could be 2-time NBA champion.
His mobility and defensive versatility allow him to stay on the court no matter who the personnel is and though he’s not thought of as an offensive player, he specializes in getting the Cavs second-chance points and he’s becoming one of the better finishers and passers out of the pick-and-roll.
He’s so aggressive inside the paint, opponents triple-team Thompson under the glass despite him being undersized at 6-foot-9. He’s likely the most dominant 6-foot-9 center since Ben Wallace, who had his jersey retired by the Detroit Pistons in 2016.
Like Ilgauskus, Double-T is a fan favorite. Thompson’s fun-loving nature, lunch-pail worker demeanor and dominance on the glass has earned him a soft spot in the heart of the Cavs’ faithful.
While it’s not guaranteed his jersey will hang in the rafters of The Q, breaking the records of the Cavs’ best rebounders in team history is and will be quite the feather in his cap.
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Do you think the Cleveland Cavaliers will retire Tristan Thompson’s jersey one day? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.