Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 players set for a disappointing 2018-19 season
1. Tristan Thompson
Tristan Thompson is another player whose stats could see a spike in the upcoming NBA season, or they could keep taking a dip. Thompson’s numbers have been continuously dropping lately, with his minutes following the plunge.
Last season, he averaged career lows in points, steals and blocks, ultimately leading him to the bench. What used to be a valuable 10-10 player and Sixth Man of the Year candidate slowly turned into a burden both on and off the court, hurting the team with his hefty contract.
Losing LeBron will result in the team looking for alternative scoring options. Jordan Clarkson, J.R. Smith and Cedi Osman are all set to see an increase in their minutes, ultimately filling LeBron’s shoes.
So what spot does an ungifted, undersized center really have on the team? Some may argue over the fact that the team needs Tristan’s rebounding. While it is true that the Cavs need rebounding, they have other prolific rebounders like Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr. that could render Tristan superfluous.
The icing on the cake was during the 2018 NBA Finals. Instead of stepping up and being the true big man the Cleveland Cavaliers so desperately needed, Thompson, in fact, averaged fewer rebounds than the Golden State Warriors’ point guard, Stephen Curry.
Set for another season off the bench, it is questionable whether Thompson can make up for his performances last season.