Tristan Thompson, formerly with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-23 season and now playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, faces an immediate 25-game suspension after testing positive for two banned substances, according to an NBA press release.
Standing at 6’9″, Thompson tested positive for ibutamoren and SARM LGD-4033, both listed as prohibited substances on the league’s official roster of “steroids and performance enhancing drugs.”
During the 2022-23 regular season, Thompson did not play for any team. He and Shaquille Harrison joined the Lakers on the final day of the regular season as emergency additions for the playoffs.
Throughout the playoffs, Thompson primarily saw action as the Lakers’ 14th player, handling mop-up duties. However, he demonstrated improvement during the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets, delivering tough defense and earning more playing time under coach Darvin Ham’s adjusted rotation.
In the subsequent 2023 offseason, Thompson signed a minimum contract with the Cavaliers as the Lakers shifted towards a more youthful approach, opting for players like Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood instead. Hayes has fallen out of favor in Ham’s rotation, while Wood offers a shooting ability that Thompson lacked.
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