Cavs: Tristan Thompson reportedly wants to be moved by trade deadline

It was reported on Tuesday that Cleveland Cavaliers big man Tristan Thompson wants to be dealt by the NBA trade deadline on February 6 at 3 p.m.

It’s clear that the Cleveland Cavaliers seemingly would have a high chance of trading big man Tristan Thompson, who, while the team has struggled during this 2019-20 season, has played very well.

Thompson, if he were to keep up his current pace, would be on track for career-highs in points (11.9), rebounds (10.4) and assists (2.1) per game, according to Basketball Reference.

Nonetheless, he is on an expiring contract, and though he has given the Cavaliers so much in terms of being a big-time contributor on both ends of the glass since being drafted by Cleveland in 2011, been a great screener and has been a solid defender, Thompson seems likely to be moved soon.

The NBA trade deadline is on February 6 at 3 p.m., and according to a report on Tuesday from The Athletic‘s Joe Vardon (subscription required), Thompson’s camp believes it is a “priority” for TT to be traded by that deadline by Cleveland.

Vardon would also go on to note that earlier this season, Thompson was interested in a contract extension to stick around to help Cleveland in this rebuild, but now, Thompson wants a change of scenery, and given the state of the Cavs, I get it.

Furthermore, Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes reported on Monday that Thompson is “available on the market” with Thursday’s deadline closing in.

As far as potential trade suitors for Thompson, the Washington Wizards, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on a Monday episode of The Lowe Post podcast (and h/t Bullets Forever’s Albert Lee), hosted by ESPN’s Zach Lowe, are a team that has shown interest in Thompson. Candace Buckner of the Washington Post also indicated that Washington is interested in Thompson’s services.

So the Tristan Thompson news @WindhorstESPN had previously reported — I’m hearing the same. The #Wizards have expressed interest in Thompson.

A big man who rebounds, does the dirty work + with a trade, the Wiz would have his bird rights ... a move w/ an eye toward the future
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) February 4, 2020

Along with that, Windhorst said on the most recent episode of his podcast, The Hoop Collective, that several teams are interested in TT and are “offering multiple second-round picks” for Thompson’s services, as was noted by Fear The Sword’s Justin Rowan.

Additionally, on Tuesday according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, if the Atlanta Hawks were not able to find a way to swing a deal to land Houston Rockets center Clint Capela via three-team deal also involving the Minnesota Timberwolves (who would then send draft capital to the Golden State Warriors), a fallback option for them could be Thompson.

Atlanta, per O’Connor, does not eventually want to extend a big money contract to John Collins this offseason or in 2021 restricted free agency, given his defensive limitations.

For reference, a potential four-team deal was reportedly being discussed between this go-round, also including the Warriors, Rockets, Hawks and Timberwolves, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

That’s in relation to D’Angelo Russell ultimately landing in Minnesota, Robert Covington landing in Houston, Capela ending up in Atlanta, but future draft picks and/or Golden State having to take on Andrew Wiggins has caused a snag it seems, per Wojnarowski. Woj would go on to report later on Tuesday that there’s been “no progress” involving Golden State, though, whereas the Denver Nuggets could be a fourth option, and Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium also reported that Golden State is moving on from a Russell deal with Minnesota.

Now on to the latest updates from early Wednesday.

Ultimately, Wojnarowski would eventually report a four-team agreement early Wednesday involving that Covington was dealt to Houston, Atlanta landed Capela and Nene, Minnesota landed Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez (both previously of Denver), Evan Turner and Atlanta’s first-rounder via the Brooklyn Nets, and that Denver landed Gerald Green and eventually Keita Bates-Diop, plus a Houston first-round pick.

Woj then also reported that Denver’s Jarred Vanderbilt is going to Minny and according to the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen, Minnesota’s Jordan Bell is going to Houston. Plus, per Woj and ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Houston is receiving an Atlanta future second-round pick via Golden State, Minny’s Noah Vonleh is going to Denver, and Charania reported that Shabazz Napier, previously of Minny, is headed to Denver.

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Alrighty then, so no TT to the Hawks, but this deal with Capela should seemingly increase interest in Thompson.

Additionally, swinging back to Thompson more, the LA Clippers’ front office reportedly has some interest in Thompson, and for reference, also “kicked the tires” on Kevin Love, according to Sports Illustrated‘s Chris Mannix. Love, though, is not preferred by LA, per Mannix, seemingly because of him making $91.5 million over the next three seasons following 2019-20, along with his injury history.

It then appears that Love, who is reportedly likely to maintain a Cavalier through the deadline, given that the team is “resigned” currently because they likely won’t find a trade partner in the next few days according to Wojnarowski on a recent episode of his podcast, The Woj Pod, and will have to look for a deal in the offseason, is going to be without his buddy the next few months in TT. In addition, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz reported on Tuesday that the Cavs “would have to take a loss,” to move Love by the deadline, which as Swartz noted, they “naturally aren’t willing to do.”

At any rate, considering that Thompson/his camp reportedly want the Cavaliers to move him by Thursday’s deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers and general manager Koby Altman need to do just that.

The Cavs can’t take a chance on losing TT for nothing this offseason, especially considering that Thompson apparently wants out, and though Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor reported that Cleveland is looking for a first-round pick for TT, even if that offer doesn’t come along, the Cavs need to move on from Thompson.

Granted, Fedor would go on to also report late Tuesday that multiple teams continue to call about Thompson, but the Cavs are essentially not just going to move TT just to move TT.

Anyhow, the Cavaliers are also locked in a full-rebuild and are not home to a free agent destination, though, either, and moving Thompson should happen by the deadline.

It’s unclear as to whether or not Cleveland can end up getting a first-rounder, feasibly from a contending team, anyhow, and the Cavs do not want to create a further distraction involving TT post-deadline.

That’s also factoring in that though Love expects to be with the Cavs post-deadline and he seems alright with that for a few months, per Fedor, Love and Thompson both being with Cleveland following Thursday afternoon could end up being very ugly, in relation to Thompson apparently wanting to be dealt.

So again, while I completely am in agreement with KJG’s Ben Korzep in that Thompson should eventually have his number 13 retired by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Altman and the front office absolutely need to move Thompson by the 2020 trade deadline.

The Cavs should have a very high selection in the 2020 NBA Draft to develop a younger replacement/possible rim protector for Thompson. That could relate to prospects such as USC’s Onyeka Okongwu, Washington’s Isaiah Stewart or James Wiseman, who was previously of Memphis and since has reportedly withdrawn from school to focus on the upcoming draft, as our own Corey Casey hit on, anyway.

Not getting it twisted here, though, I truly appreciate all that Thompson has given the Cavaliers over the years, and it won’t be easy for Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Love and others to see TT go, but it’s necessary at this juncture to trade the 28-year-old.