Celtics reportedly land big man Thompson, guard Teague
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 09: Tristan Thompson #13 of the Cleveland Cavaliers grabs a rebound in front of Semi Ojeleye #37 and Vincent Poirier #77 of the Boston Celtics during the second half at TD Garden on December 09, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Cavaliers 110-88. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFP
One day after trading away center Enes Kanter to Portland, the Boston Celtics have agreed to a contract with veteran forward/center Tristan Thompson, according to multiple reports Saturday.
Yahoo Sports reported the agreement is for two years, $19 million.
The Celtics also agreed to a one-year deal with veteran point guard Jeff Teague, per reports.
Thompson, 29, has spent his entire NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, including four seasons (2014-18) when he played alongside LeBron James. With James, Thompson played in the NBA Finals four times and helped Cleveland to the franchise’s first title in 2016.
The 6-foot-9 forward has averaged a double-double in each of his last two seasons since James left for the Los Angeles Lakers, with Thompson recording a career-high 12.0 points per game in 2019-20 along with 10.1 rebounds and 0.9 blocked shots per game over 57 games (51 starts).
Originally selected by the Cavaliers with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Thompson owns career averages on 9.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game in his 619 career games (429 starts).
Teague, 32, averaged 10.9 points and 5.2 assists per game last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves (34 games) and Atlanta Hawks (25 games). He has averaged 12.6 points and 5.8 assists over 11 seasons with the Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers and Hawks, who originally drafted Teague in the first round (19th overall) in the 2009 draft.
Teague made the All-Star team with the Hawks in 2015.
–Field Level Media
