Some believe it is inevitable the Cleveland Cavaliers trade big man Tristan Thompson. The Cavaliers would prefer to play a defensive-minded center next to Kevin Love and they could use Thompson to find that player.
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Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com was asked if he could see the Cavaliers and Knicks swapping Thompson and guard Iman Shumpert.
"I could see the Cavaliers-Knicks deal, but the Nuggets already added Arron Afflalo this summer, so they seem to be deeper at shooting guard than center. I don’t think they’re in any hurry to get rid of Mozgov."
The trade could make some sense – the Knicks will need a big man going forward but it still seems somewhat far-fetched.
Thompson averaged 11.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting 47.7% from the field and 69.3% from the free throw line. In his career, he’s put up 10.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while shooting 47.3% from the field and 63.0% from the free throw line. He was originally selected by the Cavaliers with the fourth-overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft. Thompson is still just 23 years old. Shumpert put up 6.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 37.8% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc and 74.6% from the free throw line last season. In his three-year career, the 17th-overall pick in the first round has put up 7.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 39.1% from the floor, 34.2% from three and 77.5% from beyond the arc.
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