The Los Angeles Lakers kind of shocked the world by signing Tristan Thompson for the remainder of the season.
Thompson had been away from the league for quite a while now, and he wasn’t the most steady contributor in his final stint.
Still, he’s had a close relationship with LeBron James since they played together in Cleveland, and having someone who fits next to your biggest star is always a must when building a roster.
Nonetheless, it seems like not many of his colleagues are actually that fond of him.
As a matter of fact, and unnamed player told The Athletic that he was the most overrated player in the league, and someone who just made a career out of playing with LeBron.
An anonymous player calls Tristan Thompson the most overrated player in the NBA
“Someone like him has made a whole career out of playing with LeBron.”
(Via @TheAthletic https://t.co/Pdjl5I0puR) pic.twitter.com/ZdvgwY5USt
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) April 19, 2023
Of course, fans had somewhat mixed reviews about that assessment, with some agreeing with him, and others stating that Thompson wasn’t that bad, either.
Such a bad take. TT is big time. Relentless energy on offensive boards, great overall rebounder, great on defense.
Has worked tirelessly to improve his games over the years.
— Alan Soclof (@AlanSoclof) April 19, 2023
bro we hardly knew he was in the nba 😭😭
— Jazz For 3 (@JazzForThree) April 19, 2023
But don’t you think that’s a skill in it self? 🤔 Imagine bein a capable player but knowin how to keep cool with LeBron. In fact so much so, that he wants you on his team so that you win with him. Not everybody knows how to do these things and that’s why they’re not ⬆️ 🤷🏾♂️
— “KD BABY”, “HIM DIM” IT’S CHU! (@macckkenn) April 19, 2023
That’s a lot of players who have been with LeBron lol
— Kaleb Earls (@K_Earls32) April 19, 2023
People call him a top 10 big man. Its very funny
— ♣️ (@FireyJaire) April 19, 2023
Notably, Thompson was one of the best offensive rebounders in the league when he was in his prime.
His screen-setting was sometimes questionable, and so was his defense, but he was a high-energy guy who thrived while giving his team second and third chances to score.
Thompson had a valuable skill set in Cleveland, and he played a vital role in their championship run, so there’s no wonder why LeBron trusts him.
But it’s also a fact that he’s way beyond his prime at this point in this career, so maybe the Lakers could’ve used that roster spot in someone younger and more ready to contribute right away.
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