Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: Team Trying To Land Warriors Star Klay Thompson
From the archive: published Jun 22, 2014, 12 years ago. Details may have changed since.
The Los Angeles Lakers are seeing offseason rumors kick into high gear with reports that the team is trying to acquire Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson.
The Lakers are reportedly looking to land Thompson in exchange for the No. 7 pick in this year’s NBA draft. The deal would be part of a larger deal sending Kevin Love to the Warriors.
There are still a number of roadblocks to the potential blockbuster trade. The Warriors are reportedly mulling over their options and whether it would be better to keep Thompson as a potential building block or go for Love.
The 24-year-old Thompson has been a key player in the Warriors turnaround, averaging 18.4 points last season. He also became one of the deadliest three-point shooters in the league, combining with teammate Stephen Curry to form one of the best long-range threats.
If the trade is completed, Klay Thompson could be key for the Lakers rebuilding process. The team realistically has a window of one or two seasons to try to win another championship with Kobe Bryant before he either retires or drops off elite status.
Thompson also appears to be the best bet for the Lakers in filling out the roster, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times noted:
The move could also be a boon to Klay Thompson. He has shown the potential to become an NBA superstar, and with the eventual retirement of Kobe Bryant could inherit the leadership role of quite possibly the league’s biggest franchise.When free agency begins July 1, the Lakers will have only three players making guaranteed money next season — Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Robert Sacre. Point guard Kendall Marshall has one year left on a non-guaranteed contract.
A player on the rise such as Thompson would obviously provide more immediate return than an amateur player with no NBA experience.
Whether they land Klay Thompson or not, the Los Angeles Lakers trade rumors are nothing new. The team has sold or traded every pick they’ve had since 2007, and are already down a 2015 selection because of the Steve Nash deal.