The Los Angeles Lakers have had a quiet start to free agency although the reason for that is they are waiting to see what Klay Thompson does.
Thompson and the Lakers have mutual reported interest after it came out that the four-time champion is expected to leave the Golden State Warriors.
L.A. does have some competition though as Thompson also has interest in the Dallas Mavericks, who have been the reported favorites to land him.
Thompson and the Warriors are likely to work out a sign-and-trade and the Mavericks already cleared up room by trading Tim Hardaway Jr. The Lakers currently have a full roster so would need to open up roster space as well as work out the sign-and-trade with Golden State to land Thompson.
It appears Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office is hard at work trying to accomplish that, per NBA insider Marc Stein:
The Lakers continue to press in their pursuit of Klay Thompson, league sources say, trying to close a perceived gap on the Mavericks. As @TheSteinLine reported below Friday, strong mutual interest between Thompson and Dallas has already been established:https://t.co/DWazVDd5Rs
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 1, 2024
The Lakers were among the teams to meet with Thompson at the beginning of free agency with LeBron James notably also giving him a phone calll. It appears that the Mavericks brass flew out to California to meet with him as well though:
Sources tell @TheSteinLine that Nico Harrison and Michael Finley were scheduled to be in Calif. for Sunday's start of free agency to pitch Klay directly while the Mavs remain engaged with Golden State on sign-and-trade talks should he choose them.
More: https://t.co/A6ycVmnrjq https://t.co/MYihjn3Bmx
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 1, 2024
The first domino to fall will be Thompson selecting which team he wants to sign with between the Lakers and Mavericks. Whoever gets chosen will then do the work to clear up roster space and complete a sign-and-trade with the Warriors, which likely wouldn’t be that difficult.
It’s clear that Thompson is the Lakers’ No. 1 priority at this time and his dad Mychal Thompson even wants Klay back home in L.A. It will be up to Pelinka and Co. to close the deal though or else the Lakers will need to pivot to other options to improve the roster.
Lakers also interest in DeMar DeRozan?
If the Lakers lose out on Klay Thompson then perhaps they pivot to DeMar DeRozan, who they have been linked to for years now. LeBron James is said to be willing to take a pay cut to add DeRozan, so that could end up being L.A.’s consolation prize.
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