Cleveland Cavaliers: Possible trade packages for Tristan Thompson

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Cleveland Cavaliers Tristan Thompson (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

Trade partner #1 – Boston Celtics

The Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics have a recent history in the trade market, and honestly, it didn’t work out for either team. The Cavs sent disgruntled All-Star Kyrie Irving to Boston and received injured point guard Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and a future first-round pick.

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For the Cavaliers, they give up two veteran players who are in the last year of their deal and are unlikely to re-sign with them. Acquiring Gordon Hayward may be a bit of head-scratcher as he’s owed nearly $67 million in total over the next two seasons (per Spotrac), but it’s all about acquiring the two first-round picks.

Hayward in Boston hasn’t exactly worked out as planned, so getting off of his contract is a big coup for the Celtics, even it means sending two first-rounders to Cleveland in order to do so. For Boston, it shouldn’t matter, those two picks should be late first-rounders and they already have plenty of young depth with players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Romeo Langford, Grant Williams, and Carsen Edwards.

They are lacking in front-court depth however, with the departure of Al Horford. As their roster currently stands, the only three players that realistically could see playing time at center are Enes Kanter, Daniel Theis, and Robert Williams.

Thompson would come in immediately and be their best rebounding big man.

Jordan Clarkson had to be thrown in to match salaries, and he is an added bonus for Boston. A team looking to compete for a conference title should not have to rely on rookies to provide scoring punch off of the bench. Clarkson would immediately step into the top bench scorer role for the Celtics.