Jarred Vanderbilt of the Lakers looks stunning while out and about in a fashionable clothing.

Former Lakers center and friend of LeBron James returns home

After signing with your Los Angeles Lakers on the final day of the 2023 regular season as a break-glass in case of emergency postseason inclusion, big guy Tristan Thompson is finishing a new agreement to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the franchise that drafted him. Rich Paul, the 6’9″ power forward/center’s agent, notified Shams Charania of The Athletic about his client’s new contract. Tristan Thompson of the University of Texas at Austin was selected fourth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by Cleveland.

They also grabbed future All-NBA point guard Kyrie Irving from Duke in the exciting 2011 draft. J.R. Smith, LeBron James, now an All-Star for the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Love, now an integral member of the Miami Heat, and others would round out the team’s title run.

Thompson started or played a significant role off the bench for the Cavaliers in four of the following seasons (2015-18). They also triumphed in 2016. The 32-year-old Hidden Hills native joined Los Angeles as a frontcourt depth player during the team’s surprise run to the Western Conference Finals. Darvin Ham used Tristan Thompson as a backup center in Game 4 of the Denver Nuggets’ 113-111 loss.

Thompson ended with 4 points, 1 rebound, and superb paint defense in his 9:41 of playing time. Thompson, a friend of James from their time together on the Cavaliers, signed with the Lakers after being unemployed for the whole 2022-2023 season. He provided seasoned guidance to a youthful group of Lakers players who had yet to taste postseason success since joining the team. It’s great to see him back with his hometown team, even if he won’t be able to match his career averages of nine points on 51.9% shooting and 8.4 rebounds in 730 regular-season games with a quality Cleveland team. Especially given that he would have no significant influence on the Los Angeles frontcourt, which would be totally rebuilt for the 2023-24 season.