Tristan Thompson waived by Pacers after 17-point performance vs Wizards originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Tristan Thompson was on the move almost immediately following a solid 17-point performance off the bench in Indiana’s 113-108 home win over the Wizards on Wednesday night.
Thompson gave Washington center Thomas Bryant fits all night long in his typical nonstop effort crashing the boards and rolling to the basket. But eight days after getting dealt to Indiana, Thompson was headed to play for a “contending team in the East that starts with a C and ends with an O,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told media postgame.
“It was fun while it lasted,” Carlisle said. “He’s going to be joining a different team. He’s going to be waived tomorrow… He brought a high level of professionalism and he’s done a really good job. Chicago, for anyone that didn’t get that.”
In four games with Carlisle’s Pacers, Thompson averaged 7.3 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game in 16.4 minutes.
Thompson was shipped eastward from Sacramento in a trade two days before the Feb. 10 deadline that included fellow Kings Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield swapped for former Washington target Domantas Sabonis. Thompson, who signed a two-year, $18 million contract with the Celtics before the 2020-21 season will now play for his fourth team in three seasons.
The Pacers also acquired ex-Suns center Jalen Smith in exchange for forward Torey Craig at the deadline, showing a level of commitment to the former Terrapin big man he didn’t get by the defending NBA runner-ups. Thompson, meanwhile, will join a light frontcourt in Chicago that features Nikola Vucevic and Tony Bradley.