Ineligible Man Downfield: Tristan Thompson is an all-time Cavalier
Plus some bad news about Denzel Ward.
Tristan Thompson Was The Ultimate Cav
It became a foregone conclusion that the Cavs would select Kyrie Irving, point guard out of Duke, with the no. 1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. What remained an unknown was who they’d select three picks later.
It seemed to come down to Tristan Thompson, an ultra raw rim runner out of Texas, and Jonas Valanciunas, a center from Lithuania. The Cavs ultimately snagged Thompson, with the Toronto Raptors taking Valanciunas one pick behind him. Nine years later, Valanciunas is on the Grizzlies, having been shipped out of Toronto as part of a trade for Marc Gasol, who the Raps felt was better suited to help them win a championship (they were right). Thompson stayed put and helped the Cavs win a ring.
There were growing pains early on. Thompson’s offense was mostly non-existent, and he had a maddening habit of being blocked at the rim. But as Thompson grew, both physically and mentally, he blossomed into an incredibly valuable big that thrived in his role in the modern NBA.
Thompson became a great pick-and-roll partner, and his ability to read the defense and make the correct decision when he caught the ball in the paint on the roll played a huge part in the Cavs offensive success once LeBron returned. He was a devastating lob threat, finding chemistry there with not only LeBron, but guys like Matthew Dellavedova. He could switch out onto guards defensively and stay in front of them on the perimeter, a skill that’s become a necessity for the modern big. And he was an elite offensive rebounder. He was perfectly in place.
Thompson’s rebounding, defense and ability to run the floor in transition played a huge part in the Cavs defeat of the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, and anyone who tells you differently is a simpleton. Watching Thompson son Al Horford year after year in the playoffs was like a rite of passage. His offense never really evolved, but it didn’t need to. The Cavs were an offensive powerhouse with LeBron and Kyrie and co. Thompson simply filled in the gaps.
When the Cavs signed Thompson to a five-year, $82 million deal in 2015, many peasants decried the deal, as if it was some slight against God. Thompson more than proved his worth. And when the team retires the jerseys from that championship run, no. 13 should be right there with them in the rafters. — Jordan Zirm
ICYMI
Denzel Ward is likely to miss a few weeks with a calf strain
Myles Garrett will miss a second straight game due to COVID
DE Joe Jackson has also been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list
Ronnie Harrison may be able to play despite a knee contusion
Terry Francona says he’s been in a better physical place heading into next season
Matthew Dellavedova is coming back for another year with the Cavs
The Cavs signed 26-year-old guard Damyean Dotson to a two-year deal
DeMarlo Hale is the Indians’ new bench coach
Clay Matthews is again a Hall of Fame semifinalist
One thing to read today
At GQ, Taylor Rooks takes you inside the Orlando bubble
Who we are
Chris Manning: Site Manager at Fear the Sword, co-host of the Locked on Cavs podcast, words at places like Cleveland Magazine and Forbes. On Twitter @cwmwrites
Jordan Zirm: Social editor at @TheCheckdown. Formerly of ESPN Cleveland. Words at B/R, SB Nation and UPROXX. Host of The Rebuild podcast. On Twitter @clevezirm