INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — When it came to assessing his team's acquisition of Andre Drummond just ahead of the NBA trade deadline on Thursday, Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson was succinct.
"For what they gave up to get him back, I was like, 'damn. That's a f---ing steal,'" Thompson said at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Friday.
A 2-time All-Star and 3-time NBA rebounding champ, Drummond has been one of the league's most productive centers over the course of his eight-year career. And to Thompson's point, the Cavs didn't give up much to get him, sending a pair of expiring contracts in Brandon Knight and John Henson, as well as a second-round pick to the Detroit Pistons for his services.
"The guy averages 17 [points] and 17 [rebounds]," Thompson said. "For us to get another All-Star big for just basically a second-round pick and two expiring deals is pretty good."
For many, however, evaluating the Cavs' acquisition of Drummond isn't quite as simple as what they gave up and what they got in return in the trade. And for all of the 26-year-old center's accolades, the reality remains that he has the ability to opt-out of his contract and leave Cleveland as a free agent this summer.
There are also questions about Drummond's fit with the Cavs, who now possess a plethora of size, but not much shooting in a sport that's trended in the other direction. But for all that one could still pick apart about the Cavs' longterm, it's undeniable that for at least the final 30 games of this season, Cleveland not only got better, but didn't give up much to do so.
"However you can add great assets and great pieces to a team that's going through a transition is good," Thompson said. "We were able to add another All-Star big, so that's huge."