Tristan Thompson signs one-year deal to stay with Cleveland Cavaliers

A year after returning to Cleveland, Tristan Thompson is staying for at least one more season. The 33-year-old center has finalized a one-year deal to stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

After bouncing between five teams in less than four years, Thompson signed a one-year deal to return to Cleveland in 2023. He now signs another short-term deal to provide a veteran presence on the team through the 2024-2025 season.

Thompson was drafted fourth overall by the Cavaliers in 2011, and spent nine seasons with the team — including an NBA championship in 2016. He signed a two-year contract with the Boston Celtics in 2020, but was traded to the Sacramento Kings a year later. In the years since, Thompson bounced to the Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers before settling with his former team before the 2023-2024 season.

In January, he was suspended for 25 games after testing positive for two banned substances: ibutamoren, an artificial growth hormone, and SARM LGD-4033, a muscle enhancement drug that mimics the effects of testosterone.

Outside of the suspension, Thompson averaged 11:12 minutes in 49 games with the Cavs, averaging 3.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and one assist per game.

Thompson’s return to the team will provide a veteran presence to Cleveland’s relatively young core, which includes All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.