Hardwood Houdini
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8 players the Boston Celtics signed past their prime

By Michael Saenz

Boston Celtics (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics Tristan Thompson
Boston Celtics Tristan Thompson (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Tristan Thompson (2020)

After a confusing and historic 2019-20 season, in which the Boston Celtics fell a couple of wins short of breaking through in the Eastern Conference and making the NBA Finals, it became clear that Boston needed to upgrade their frontcourt. Part of their plan to do so included pursuing Tristan Thompson, who was set to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers after nine seasons, during the offseason.

During the pandemic-altered NBA offseason of 2020, the Celtics signed Thompson to a two-year free-agent deal. If nothing else, the hope was that Thompson could add a defensive-minded approach in the frontcourt.

And after one of the best statistical seasons of his career in which he averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers during the 2019-20 season, Thompson seemed like a good target. However, Boston didn’t nearly get that same amount of production out of the signing of Thompson that they figured.

In a slightly smaller role in Boston, Thompson’s production fell down to seven points and eight rebounds per game. He only played one season with the Celtics before Boston decided to move on from the defensive-minded big man. Before the start of the 2021-22 NBA season, the Celtics traded Thompson to the Sacramento Kings.