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Basketball
As Dallas Explores Trades, Is Klay Thompson a Solid Option for the Lakers?
Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers›
2 days ago36:50
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Maybe it's because his dad is a broadcaster for the Lakers, but Klay Thompson has been connected via rumors to the purple and gold for years. And now, at 36, he's reportedly on the trade block with the Mavs.
So once again, the question is asked, how would Klay look on the Lakers?
He's a long way from the elite shooter/defender of his prime, but Klay still does have some utility as a high volume 3-point shooter (still around 40% pretty consistently), and given that he now plays off the bench, the expectations for his performance is much more in line with what he's capable of delivering. Plus, he's been relatively healthy over the last few seasons, meaning even at an elevated age, he's a decent bet to give the Lakers 70 games.
On the other hand, Thompson doesn't really fit the team's timeline, or positional need. He's not a piece that will help bring them significantly closer to the upper crust of the West, and would put bodies in front of players like Cam Carr and Adou Thiero. Is that someone the Lakers should be pursuing, if it's not directly addressing a position of need?
It gets to a core question - are the Lakers better off doing what they can to get the best player at, say, power forward, even if he's not a great fit or comes with question marks because he does more for the team RIGHT NOW, or should they hold off and try to find a player is a better fit long term, even if it causes some pain in the interim?
The answer to that question largely dictates whether the Lakers are essentially done with big swings this summer.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: Dallas is shopping Klay, reportedly. Should LA bite?
SEGMENT 2: Logistics aside, what would Klay look like on the Lakers?
SEGMENT 3: Mr. Right, or Mr. Right Now?
Photo Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
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"As Dallas Explores Trades, Is Klay Thompson a Solid Option for the Lakers?" is an episode of Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers. Runtime 36 min. Published August 4, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.
