Tag: Tristan Thompson

Lakers have lost a free agent big man

A potential candidate for the Lakers’ final roster spot is now off the table.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ roster for the 2023-24 season is mostly set, especially after their signing of skilled big man Christian Wood last week.

They have 14 regular roster spots filled, which leaves one open. Some have wondered whether they would fill that spot with another big man who is defensive-minded, or if they would leave it open to give them some flexibility for a potential trade or buyout market signing months from now.

One potential candidate for that last roster spot seemed to be veteran big man Tristan Thompson, whom the Lakers signed near the end of the 2022-23 regular season. He received only spot duty during the playoffs, but in L.A.’s final game, he played some effective defense on eventual NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic.

On Monday, Thompson agreed to terms with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team he has spent most of his career with.

Thompson played his first nine seasons with the Cavs, and he will join a young and very promising squad in Cleveland that finished fourth in the Eastern Conference last season. He will give them some much-needed beef and veteran experience up front.

Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 13

Today’s installment focuses on the 24 players who wore No. 13 over the years as of September 2023.

The Boston Celtics have more retired jerseys than any other team in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean the rest of their jerseys have little history of interest tied to them.

In fact, with 17 titles to their name and decades of competitive basketball played in them, their unretired jersey numbers pack in some of the most history not hanging from the rafters of any team in the league. To that end, we have launched our accounting of that history, with every player in every jersey worn by more than one Celtics player in the storied franchise’s history accounted for.

Today’s installment focuses on the 24 players who wore No. 13 over the years as of September 2023.

12 Boston Celtics included in HoopsHype ‘best player in country history’ list

Let’s take a look at which Boston alumni made the cut — and what countries they hail from.

The Boston Celtics are a founding member and the most storied ball club of the league now known as the NBA, having been among the handful of teams from the era of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) days as the precursor league that would grow into today’s NBA was called.

So it should not surprise that the players who have worn the green and white over the nearly eight decades of existence of the franchise have at times been among the best to play the game anywhere in the world. In fact, there is a notable number of Celtics alumni present in a HoopsHype assessment of the best players to come from specific countries around the globe.

Let’s take a look at which Boston alumni made the cut — and what countries they hail from.

On this day: Former Boston Celtics guard Lester Hudson born; Tristan Thompson traded

While he did not stick long, today is the birthday of former Celtics guard Lester Hudson; it’s also the date Tristan Thompson was dealt.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, point and shooting guard Lester Hudson III was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1984. Hudson would be drafted by the Celtics with the 58th pick of the 2009 NBA draft after playing his collegiate basketball at Southwest Tennessee Community College and at the University of Tennessee Martin. The Memphis native garnered All-American honors with the latter, the very first in UT Martin history to have such a recognition awarded to them.

After being taken by the Celtics in the draft, it was clear his game was not quite up to the level to earn much playing time with a team that was aiming for an NBA title, with the Banner 17 crew back at it trying to earn another title.

To that end, the team developed a plan to make use of the league’s developmental league to help bring Hudson along.

Lakers want to add another center — possibly Mo Bamba or Tristan Thompson

Although the Lakers have done well to start free agency, they’re still thin at center, and they’re looking to rectify that issue.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have had a rather successful first two days of free agency.

They accomplished their main objective of keeping as much of their core intact as possible. Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell agreed to stay on new contracts. Even better, the Lakers did not overpay for any of the three.

They also went out and signed forwards Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish, as well as guard Gabe Vincent. All three have the potential to give the team some additional 3-point shooting and perimeter defense.

Amidst these moves, the center position is looking rather weak. Los Angeles got Jaxson Hayes, a young, athletic and energetic 6-foot-11 man, to agree to a two-year deal, but he’s a rather underwhelming player who will, in all likelihood, come off the bench and play no more than 15-20 minutes a game.

As a result, the team wants to get one more center to fill one of its two remaining roster spots (h/t Lakers Nation).

The Lakers recently waived Mo Bamba, a 7-footer with shot-blocking and 3-point shooting skills, in order to free up their entire non-taxpayer midlevel exception, which they used on Vincent. Bamba remains an option for that roster spot, as does Tristan Thompson, a veteran big man they signed near the end of the 2022-23 regular season.

Via The Athletic:

“L.A. is targeting another big man with its 14th roster spot, according to team sources. They are likely to carry 14 guaranteed contracts into the season, leaving one roster spot open. Mo Bamba, whom the Lakers waived on Thursday, and Tristan Thompson, who joined the team right before their playoff run, remain options to fill that 14th spot, according to league sources. The big man market has been dry so far during this free-agency period, so the Lakers could also wait to see if better options present themselves.”

The Lakers could use a center with legitimate size and girth who can play solid defense on Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonis and Joel Embiid. Thompson may be able to do some of that, but he’s just 6-foot-9. Bamba’s ability to hit from the outside could open the floor for LeBron James, Anthony Davis and others.

Should the Lakers keep Tristan Thompson this summer?

Veteran center Tristan Thompson may be able to give the Lakers some serviceable minutes at the center position next season.

Free agency in the NBA will begin on Friday, June 30, at 6 p.m. New York time, and it will be a very important time for the Los Angeles Lakers, as they look to take the final steps toward another world championship.

They reportedly want to retain as much of their current team as possible, which would mean re-signing Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and likely D’Angelo Russell. If they do so, they may still look to make an addition or two.

No matter which direction the Lakers will go in, they will need to make sure they have solid depth at the center position, even if they keep playing Anthony Davis exclusively at that spot.

At the end of the regular season, Los Angeles picked up veteran big man Tristan Thompson. Although he barely played, when he did get onto the court, he showed that he may still have something left in the tank.

Would he be a good signing for the Purple and Gold this summer?

Tristan Thompson would love to come back to the Lakers next season

Veteran center Tristan Thompson, whom the Lakers signed on the last day of the regular season, says he’d love to be back this fall.

On the final day of the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers signed veteran big man Tristan Thompson for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. The move came after they had worked out a number of free agent centers and following the clamoring of fans for added depth at the 5.

Thompson barely played for L.A, but head coach Darvin Ham threw him onto the court for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, and he played some active defense while getting a couple of easy dunks.

At age 32, he could still have something left in the tank in a reserve role, and he might be a good option as far as an inexpensive backup center for the Lakers.

During his exit interview, Thompson said he would love to be with the Purple and Gold next season (at 4:14).

“Yeah, I mean I’d love to come back,” Thompson said. “I’d love to be here for training camp. Love to be part of what we’re building here. It’s definitely a role that I embrace. At the end of the day I’m all about winning, and Dave you’ve covered me for some time and you’ve been around me and you know my whole thing is about winning. Winning’s No. 1. Winning trumps everything. So I’m about winning and however, I can help a team whether it’s on the sidelines, whether it’s in the stay ready runs, whether it’s being in the game.

“I’m two feet in for whatever the team needs. So hopefully I’m able to do that again for this team next year because I really loved being here and love what they’re building. So hopefully we can get something done.”

Thompson is only 6-foot-9, but he weighs over 250 pounds and has the experience to provide some serviceable minutes. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he played with LeBron James several seasons ago on the Cleveland Cavaliers and won an NBA championship with him.

Who has the highest block average in Boston Celtics playoff history?

Can you guess who that center might be, as well as the others of the top ten rim protectors in the history of Boston’s playoff action?

When talking about nabbing steals in the NBA playoffs, fans of the Boston Celtics might be surprised to learn that despite his fame as one of the most fearsome shot blockers in the recent history of the sport, the man we have come to call the Timelord, Celtics center Robert Williams III, does not hold the record for the most playoff blocks per game for the storied ball club.

In fact, that record belongs to another Boston big man. Can you guess who that center might be, as well as the others of the top ten rim protectors in the history of Boston’s playoff action?

Let’s take a look at the record books to find out.

Should Darvin Ham change or extend the Lakers rotation vs. the Nuggets?

Facing the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals could force Lakers head coach Darvin Ham to tweak his rotation a bit.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ season is already bordering on miraculous. They have overcome a 2-10 start and legions of doomsayers to reach the Western Conference finals. They have gotten there after dispatching the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the previous round.

They will be in for a challenge, as they will face the top-seeded Denver Nuggets, a team that features two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and a deep, talented cast, especially on the offensive end.

Job 1 for the Lakers will be containing Jokic, and if they cannot stop him from scoring points in bunches, they at least need to limit his assists to stymie the rest of Denver’s attack.

So far in the playoffs, and for much of the regular season, head coach Darvin Ham has elected to go small when Anthony Davis is resting. It has resulted not only in lineups that had the 6-foot-9, 205-pound Wenyen Gabriel at the 5, but also in several lineups with LeBron James or even Rui Hachimura playing that spot.

Maybe L.A. can get away with that type of lineup in small spurts versus the Nuggets, but it will likely need size more often than not to neutralize Jokic when Davis isn’t on the court.

Could this be the time for Ham to make a change in his bench rotation?

Every former Longhorn in the 2023 NBA playoffs

Texas is well-represented in the NBA playoffs.

The University of Texas is well-represented in the 2023 NBA playoffs. Seven former Longhorns are set to participate in postseason play.

The NBA play-in tournament takes place from April 11-14, while the rest of the playoff bracket begins on April 15.

The playoffs consist of four rounds of best-of-seven series. The first round matches the top seed against the eighth seed, the second seed against the seventh seed, the third seed against the sixth seed, and the fourth seed against the fifth seed. The winners of each first-round series advance to the second round, until the two conference champions meet in the NBA Finals.

At least one former Longhorn has played in the NBA finals in 11 out of the last 12 seasons. PJ Tucker most recently earned his first championship as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.

13-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant is eyeing his third career NBA title, this time as a member of the Phoenix Suns.

Here is a complete look at all seven former Texas Longhorns gearing up to compete in the NBA playoffs.