3 Cavaliers Who Won't Survive the Trade Deadline
By Cem Yolbulan
3. Tristan Thompson
Cleveland lost their backup center to suspension for violating the NBA's drug policy. The veteran big man will not be with the team for 25 games. The Cavaliers have not missed a beat so far in his absence, but they might start looking elsewhere if they think they can find a better option than Thompson.
The 32-year-old center has been holding his own. But at this stage of his career, he is a limited player. He provides strength, physicality, and rebounding, but he could be a liability in the playoffs due to his lack of an offensive game.
In his absence, the Cavaliers have leaned into smaller lineups, with Georges Niang and Dean Wade playing power forward and/or center. This additional floor spacing and shooting have juiced up the team's offense.
However, the Cavs will need more size for their playoff run, especially if they end up playing against someone like Joel Embiid.
A better and more reliable center instead of Thompson would be the easiest and most obvious way to upgrade this already-stacked Cleveland roster.
The Cavaliers have the fifth-best odds (+1200) to win the Eastern Conference ahead of the NBA trade deadline. If you think they have enough to make it to the NBA Finals, head over to FanDuel Sportsbook. New users can sign up to claim their $200 in bonus bets when they make a winning wager of $5.
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