Cavs’ Tristan Thompson is reportedly unlikely to be traded at deadline

It would make sense for the Cleveland Cavaliers to be fully involved in trade discussions in the coming weeks before the NBA trade deadline, but it appears that Tristan Thompson likely won’t be moved.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are not doing well as a team, and a good part of that isn’t their fault, as we’ve discussed often here at KJG. Injuries have killed them this season, and with a ton of roster turnover and lineup changes, it’s understandable for them to be struggling. Nonetheless, Cleveland has pieces that other teams would want to trade for near the NBA trade deadline coming on February 7. A player that could realistically help other NBA squads is Tristan Thompson, who’s having a great year.

That being said, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon (subscription required, and h/t Cavs Nation’s Bruno Manrique) the only way Thompson’s likely traded this season is if he “puts a team over the top.”

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Thompson is a player that has reportedly taken the reigns in the primary leadership role for Cleveland this season, and his play reflects that. He’s averaging 11.5 points, and career-highs with 11.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.8 steals per game, per Basketball Reference. The downside for opponents with Thompson, though, is what they’d have to pay him next year.

TT is due to make over $18.5 million in 2019-20, per Spotrac, and because of that relatively steep number, Vardon noted that “it would probably make more sense for a team to trade for him next season.”

Thompson’s effectiveness on the glass on both ends and on the defensive interior can help contenders, but as Vardon highlighted, that salary next season is not exactly the veteran’s minimum.

Vardon also demonstrated how Cleveland wants Thompson around to “shepherd younger players,” and that the Cavs would likely be able to get “better assets in return for him at next year’s trade deadline.”

Vardon also said that keeping Thompson around “long term” via a contract extension is a possibility, too.

There is a case to be made for both keeping or trading Thompson, who can help the Cleveland Cavaliers’ younger pieces (such as Collin Sexton and Cedi Osman) in their development as an interior presence on both ends, or provide a veteran addition for contenders that would also clear some cap space for the Cavs.

For now, though, it appears that he’ll probably stick around with Cleveland through the end of the 2018-19 season. We’ll see if Vardon’s prediction holds true in the coming weeks, or if general manager Koby Altman pulls the trigger near this year’s trade deadline.