5 reasons LeBron James’ return means title repeat for Cavs
By John Buhler
5. Tristan Thompson stays a strong front court player.
One could argue that the player that has benefitted the most from being James’ teammate the last two years is starting center Tristan Thompson. Thompson was an intriguing, albeit raw front court prospect as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft out of Texas.
Before James arrived, Thompson couldn’t stick in the Cavaliers’ starting lineup as a tremendous offensive liability. Yes, he’s always had a strong defensive acumen, but little more than a glorified rotational rim protector for a mediocre Cavaliers team his first three years in the league.
When James arrived, Thompson became increasingly important to the Cavaliers’ overall game plan to championship success. He thrived in collecting rebounds on the offensive glass and being able to guard smaller and nimbler players in pick-and-roll switches during the 2015 NBA Playoffs.
As he hit free agency last summer, James helped Thompson get a lucrative contract to stay with the Cavaliers. To win back-to-back NBA Championships, James again will have to rely on Thompson being a perennial double-double big man on rebounds and put-back baskets to maintain the necessary physical prowess Cleveland will need to repeat.
Without James in Cleveland, there is a belief that Thompson’s play would regress, as he would have to take on a more involved role on both ends of the floor, in essence spreading himself too thin to be as effective as he is now in a well-defined role.
Next: 4. Kyrie Irving will continue to grow as a star point guard.