A new report indicates that free agent Tristan Thompson is being pursued by three teams, which include the Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers.
Evan Dammarell of Forbes.com noted the interest of those three teams but indicated that Thompson’s preference is to continue playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Thompson does have interested suitors on the market – mainly the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Toronto Raptors, according to league sources,” Dammarell wrote. “But, those same sources also shared that Thompson would like to try and finish his career with the Cavaliers and continue helping the team’s young core develop.”
One of the likely reasons for the Lakers’ interest in Thompson is LeBron James, who was Thompson’s teammate for four seasons with the Cavaliers. The two players are good friends, and the 30-year-old Thompson is among the best rebounders in the NBA, averaging 8.7 per game over the course of his nine-year career.
The Cavaliers selected him in 2011 with the fourth overall pick, three choices after they also selected former Cavs guard Kyrie Irving with the top overall pick.
Thompson was part of the Cavaliers’ rebuilding efforts after being drafted and has been one of the central figures in their rebuilding efforts over the past two seasons. That process began after James left in free agency to sign with the Lakers in 2018.
One possible stumbling block in any Lakers attempt at signing in Thompson could be money since Thompson was paid $18.5 million last season. That was the final year of an $82 million contract extension he signed with the Cavs in 2015.
Thompson wouldn’t provide much in the way of scoring, given that he’s only averaged 9.4 points per game during his NBA career.
Yet, that aspect of Thompson’s game wouldn’t be terribly important, considering that the Lakers still have two potent scoring options in James and Anthony Davis.
