Though many are excited about the Tristan Thompson signing with the Boston Celtics this offseason, Bleacher Report believes fans should temper expectations.
All of last season, perhaps the biggest weakness within the roster for the Boston Celtics was their lackadaisical center rotation.
This played a massive role — though, not the sole role — in their demise in the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals against Miami, as Heat All-Star center, Bam Adebayo, simply dominated the C’s group of bigs.
This offseason, Danny Ainge and co. sought out to bolster this area within the rotation and struck a deal with nine-year veteran and NBA Champion, Tristan Thompson to the tune of two-years, $19 million.
While many fans may be quite pleased with the addition of the 29-year-old bruiser, Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley explains why fans may want to temper their expectations.
In his latest piece entitled Every NBA Team’s Biggest L of the Offseason, Buckley deemed “expecting Tristan Thompson to solve their center problem” as Boston’s biggest wrongdoing. His reasoning read as follows:
"The Shamrocks clearly needed an upgrade, so they targeted…Tristan Thompson? He’s better than the outgoing Enes Kanter, sure, but is he any better than (or even as good as) Daniel Theis? Thompson has slightly more heft at 254 pounds, so he’s a pinch more capable of banging with bigger players on the interior, but he’s less versatile than Theis at both ends.As well-managed (or maybe well-hidden) as Boston’s interior woes were during the regular season, they eventually emerged as a fatal flaw. Playoff scouting and preparation magnify shortcomings, and Adebayo’s Miami Heat aren’t the only ones who can take advantage. Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Domantas Sabonis are among the matchup problems Thompson can’t help the Celtics solve.Losing Gordon Hayward for only a massive trade exception (roughly $28.5 million) stings, but at least that was beyond Boston’s control. If the Celtics needed to match the four-year, $120 million deal he inked with the Charlotte Hornets, they were right to walk away. That’s a bad break. Treating Thompson as the missing frontcourt piece is a bad miscalculation."
Frankly, if Boston Celtics fans believe Thompson to be “the answer” at the pivot, Buckley’s words certainly are true. However, it is the Houdini’s understanding that many don’t believe this to be the case.
While fans are excited to see what Tristan Thompson can bring to this center rotation in 2020-21, the majority — at least, as far as we’re aware — consider him to be just a mere addition with specific beneficial attributes, not the messiah of the position.
Again, if you believe the veteran will solve the C’s center woes, you will be sorely disappointed. That said, if you think he’ll be a quality addition to help bolster one of the team’s weakest rotations, you might wind up being mightily pleased.