Cavs center suspended for 25 games

Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson has been suspended for 25 games by the NBA, the league announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

According to the NBA, Thompson violated the terms of the league’s anti-drug program by testing positive for ibutamoren and SARM LGD-4033. Both drugs are on the list of prohibited substances in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, under the “steroids and performance-enhancing drugs” section.

Under the current CBA, a 25-game ban is the standard for a player who tests positive for a SPED and hasn’t been suspended for a past violation.

Thompson, 32, spent the first nine years of his NBA career in Cleveland from 2011-20, winning a championship with the franchise in 2016. After bouncing around the league in recent years, he rejoined the Cavaliers as a free agent this past September, signing a one-year, minimum-salary contract.

Thompson has played regular minutes as Cleveland’s backup center behind Jarrett Allen this season, averaging 3.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game across 36 appearances.

With Thompson unavailable and Evan Mobley still sidelined due to a knee injury, the Cavs may turn to center Damian Jones for rotation minutes. Jones has seen some action in recent weeks, albeit almost exclusively in garbage time. Two-way player Isaiah Mobley – Evan’s brother – is another frontcourt option, but he has only appeared in three NBA games this season.

The suspension will cost Thompson more than $726K of his $3,196,448 salary — he’ll forfeit 1/110th of his salary per game.