The Los Angeles Lakers won this summer’s free agency period by signing the best player in the world, LeBron James. However, even with inking “The King,” the Lakers were left a little disappointed that they weren’t able to get a second star along with him. With Paul George deciding to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Kawhi Leonard being traded to the Toronto Raptors, the Lakers will have to wait until next summer to target another star to help out LeBron.
And while Leonard will still assuredly be at the top of the list, another name that could join him in the Lakers’ sights is Klay Thompson. The Warriors star is set to be a free agent in the summer of 2019, and according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers are believed to have interest. Via ESPNLA Mornings with Keyshawn, LZ and Travis”:
“In terms of who they target next year, it’s whoever wants to come. “My feeling about it, my sense from just talking to people in and around this (is that) one, it’s a little early, but I think they like Mychal’s boy. I think that would be the guy, in terms of skillset and how that would fit. Obviously Kawhi, he’s a great player as well, but we’ll see if he stays in Toronto now. But I think they like Klay (Thompson).”
It’s not hard to see why the Lakers would have interest in Thompson. He’s one of the best shooters in the league, can guard multiple positions effectively on the defensive end and would fit in perfectly alongside LeBron. Every team in the league would love to have Thompson on their squad.
However, it seems likely that Thompson stays in the Bay Area. Thompson has in the past said he’s willing to take a discount to stay with the Warriors, and recently said that he’d like to be a Warriors “for life.” Even Thompson’s dad, Lakers broadcaster Mychal Thompson, has said this summer that Klay is going to retire with the Warriors.
Shelburne, herself, even followed up by saying she believes it’s most likely that Klay stays with the Warriors. “That would be an idea,” Shelburne said, “but Klay to me feels like a Warrior for life if everything stays the same with what they’ve got going up there.”
Of course, things can always change quickly in the NBA, and the Lakers will have plenty of money to offer Thompson. But at this point Lakers fans shouldn’t be getting their hopes up about adding Thompson next summer.
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