Tristan Thompson: Initial Thoughts

[Jon]

Once Andy gets healthy, some team that wants to win playoff games in the next two years is going to make the Cavs an offer that will be pretty tough to refuse. And that offer might not be any better than the package that the Cavs got for JJ Hickson.

It's going to be hard for a contender to trade for Andy because they'd have to have a young decent player to spare or a lottery pick - combined with need.

Tiago Splitter of the Spurs PLUS a pick would be the sort of thing to get it done ... that is if he wasn't 26 already, and just 2 years and some change younger than Andy.

I know some of you guys figure Andy's career is as good as done in 2 years, but I've never seen any signs the Cavs believe that. IMO, he's low mileage, still improving, and still morphing in to what he'll finally become in the league.

But we'll see?

 

[BigErieCavsFan]

Yes Varejao is a really nice player, and yes he fills a team need right now, but the reason Varejao was not going to get traded this spring was because he was injured for most of last season. He's got to show he's healthy again before the Cavs would get any decent offers. Once Andy gets healthy, some team that wants to win playoff games in the next two years is going to make the Cavs an offer that will be pretty tough to refuse. And that offer might not be any better than the package that the Cavs got for JJ Hickson.
I'd miss him, but Varejao wouldn't be too unhappy because he'd be on a contender, he'd get his trade kicker, and odds are he'd go someplace warmer, which is something that he'd like.

If it's not much, much better than the JJ package, I would be major pissed if we didn't refuse...

 

[Pavlovic3Ball]

If Varejao is healthy, he will most definitely get a better haul than we got for JJ. Varejao is one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA. JJ is a losing player that couldn't shoot above 45% as a PF/C.

 

[NarlCavs]

Not everyone who is disappointed the Thompson pick is also disappointed in the Hickson trade.
I thought the Hickson deal was a solid trade and the Cavs got a pretty good return. Don't have any problem with that. Was obvious the Cavs didn't feel Hickson was a long term fit here.

I don't dislike Thompson as a player or prospect at all. I just would have rather taken the solid C prospect over the solid PF prospect. Much of that is due to the C position being a lot more difficult to fill and the opportunities to find one not there too often. That pick can be assessed not by only how Thompson turns out but by how the Cavs now proceed to find a C.

I'm still looking more at how things play out for the future and not how all the pieces fit the next couple of seasons. This is only the beginning of the building process. We'll have to wait to see what the next moves are and how Grant puts a team together in the coming years before any final judgment is made.

 

[BigErieCavsFan]

Not everyone who is disappointed the Thompson pick is also disappointed in the Hickson trade.
I thought the Hickson deal was a solid trade and the Cavs got a pretty good return. Don't have any problem with that. Was obvious the Cavs didn't feel Hickson was a long term fit here.

I don't dislike Thompson as a player or prospect at all. I just would have rather taken the solid C prospect over the solid PF prospect. Much of that is due to the C position being a lot more difficult to fill and the opportunities to find one not there too often. That pick can be assessed not by only how Thompson turns out but by how the Cavs now proceed to find a C.

I'm still looking more at how things play out for the future and not how all the pieces fit the next couple of seasons. This is only the beginning of the building process. We'll have to wait to see what the next moves are and how Grant puts a team together in the coming years before any final judgment is made.

As much I want to face this reality, I'm not sure the organization will follow through with the patience required to pull it off. I guess because I personally don't have it, even know I am a very patient person. It's not like I am against the rebuilding philosophy, it just I want to see it happen quicker than 4 or 5 years. I’m all for building up assets and if you do that good enough in the 1st 2 years, the mediocrity syndrome shouldn’t be as big a factor. Who cares if you get a low seed and somehow make it to the 2nd round in the 2nd year, if you have enough assets to still improve?

I can certainly see Grant on solid ground thru next year, but if his moves and picks don't look promising after next year, I could see him starting to sink in the quicksand in the 3rd.

I fucking hate even posting when everything is volatile with playing this year, who knows what this season will bring, if it brings anything…

 

[Jon]

I sure hope Grant isn't on a 3yr clock. Kyrie is the closest thing we have to a sure bet, and he has only a fistful of games leading a team at the NCAA level, and it was only the luck of the lottery that we got him in the first place.

If the organization is on board with the selections and how the decisions were reached, they should be on board with Grant even if some of them do not produce quickly.

 

[The Process God]

I found this on Tristan:

* We spoke to a member of the Texas staff who may have added some great insight on why he thought Tristan Thompson went #4 to Cleveland. Tristan was described as the hardest worker on the team spending extra time in the gym working out, even at times after games. Combine that with his high character and what the Texas staff described as huge upside as he refines his game and you get why Cleveland traded Hickson and feels that Thompson and Irving are the cornerstones of the franchise.

Source: http://www.nbadraft.net/2011-lebron-james-skills-academy-recap

 

[MYoung23]

I found this on Tristan:



Source: http://www.nbadraft.net/2011-lebron-james-skills-academy-recap

If the Cavaliers believe Tristan Thompson is a "cornerstone" it's going to be a loooooong rebuild.

 

[Green Lantern]

Looking at that link,is this Lequit #11?Maybe this guy should be wearing #23 plus a #6 since he's got his back turned to everyone ...:chuckles::gap:

 

[RchfldCavRaised]

Anytime you have the chance to draft a good citizen who has manners and loves to work in the gym, you have to do it

 

[Phills14]

Anytime you have the chance to draft a good citizen who has manners and loves to work in the gym, you have to do it

That's going a little overboard. Jimmer Fredette met those qualifications but I think this board would have exploded if we took him. Good citizen and manners are nice and all but but you gotta have a high level of skill. Show me a guy who has a lot of talent, a strong head on his shoulders and is a gym rat and I'll give you the #4 pick in the draft.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Anytime you have the chance to draft a good citizen who has manners and loves to work in the gym, you have to do it

Reading that statement as if it was said by Richard Simmons himself is quite funny.

 

[Jon]

That's going a little overboard.

Rich is a lot overboard on this topic. He doesn't see the supposed upside in Tristan.

 

[BigErieCavsFan]

I sure hope Grant isn't on a 3yr clock. Kyrie is the closest thing we have to a sure bet, and he has only a fistful of games leading a team at the NCAA level, and it was only the luck of the lottery that we got him in the first place.

If the organization is on board with the selections and how the decisions were reached, they should be on board with Grant even if some of them do not produce quickly.

I would hope it's 4 or 5 too, but who do you think is going to be the 1st scapegoat if things aren't looking up midway thru the 3rd year? Scott or Grant?

I know it will depend on exactly why things aren't improving. But if it looks like it is because we made some bad choices in drafting or trading, I would have to say Grant.

 

[Lumthemad]

Having a kid who's willing to put in the time is at least one seriously major positive on Thompson. Of course, part of it is working on the RIGHT things as we learned from JJ and what Wine and Gold said about him. (how he'd work on his game, just not the things W&G thought he should)

Time will tell if we've got Tyrus Thomas or Lamarcus Aldridge. We at least have someone regardless of his offensive weaknesses that will protect the rim. Those kind of guys are never bad to have on your team.