The Boston Celtics have reportedly signed free agent center Tristan Thompson, according to Yahoo Sports Chris Haynes.
The 29-year old big man will leave his former home with the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Celtics for what The Athletic’s Jared Weiss reports to be the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception of $9.2 million made available by veteran forward Gordon Hayward’s departure to the Charlotte Hornets earlier in the day.
Joe Vardon of The Athletic adds that the deal with run for two seasons.
While a little shorter in stature than some big men around the league, Thompson has shown himself to be more than capable of slowing some of the team’s frontcourt boogeymen in the East, and should be a great fit with the Celtics.
Free agent center Tristan Thompson has reached an agreement with the Boston Celtics, his agent @RichPaul4 of @KlutchSports tells Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) November 22, 2020
In his last season with the Cavs, the Texas product put up 12 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and just under a block per game.
Using the full mid-level is a sign the Celtics plan to avoid the tax this season, which will help them save money — and perhaps key players — down the road by delaying the punitive repeater luxury tax.
It also leaves Boston with the bi-annual exception of $3.6 million and the two traded-player exceptions of $5 and $2.6 million generated by the Enes Kanter and Vincent Poirier trades as well.
Check back often for more on this developing story.
[jwplayer n9U7MN0D]
[lawrence-related id=43642,43643,43627,43614]
[listicle id=43017]