The Los Angeles Lakers entered this offseason with a mix of calculated moves and lingering questions about roster depth. After securing Walker Kessler in a notable deal, the front office largely stepped back from flashy blockbuster pursuits, focusing instead on complementary pieces around Luka Doncic.
Yet Adel Ahmad of Heavy.com feels the Lakers may still have one more significant addition in mind: veteran Dallas Mavericks sharpshooter Klay Thompson.
Thompson, now 36 and entering the final year of a contract paying him roughly $17.46 million, has emerged as a speculative trade candidate. Dallas appears open to moving him as the franchise shifts toward a younger core anchored by Cooper Flagg, with Kyrie Irving expected to remain as the primary veteran presence.
Allowing Thompson to walk into unrestricted free agency next summer would leave the Mavericks with nothing in return, making a deal now more appealing.
Ahmad outlined a four-team framework that would bring Thompson to Los Angeles along with a pair of second-round picks in 2027 and 2031 originating from Houston.
In exchange, the Mavericks would receive Christian Braun from Denver plus a 2031 second-rounder from the Lakers. Denver would take on Jarred Vanderbilt and a 2029 second-round pick from Dallas, while Houston would land Dalton Knecht and Bronny James.
The structure allows each team to address specific needs: the Lakers gain elite shooting gravity, Dallas adds a young two-way wing, Denver acquires defensive versatility and draft capital, and Houston absorbs lower-cost rotational pieces while creating flexibility.
For Los Angeles, the appeal is clear. Doncic already elevates the offense, but the roster has lacked consistent perimeter shooting, particularly in lineups without the Slovenian superstar.
Thompson’s career-long reputation as one of the league’s purest shooters would stretch defenses and create spacing. Although he is no longer the high-volume star who once shared primary scoring duties with Stephen Curry in Golden State, he has adapted to a reduced role in recent seasons.
That experience could prove valuable on a Lakers team still blending new pieces into a cohesive unit.
The proposed package also aligns with internal reports that Vanderbilt, Knecht, and James have been discussed as movable assets. Moving them would free salary and roster spots while upgrading the backcourt’s shooting profile.
Whether this exact framework gains traction remains uncertain, yet Ahmad’s reporting underscores that Thompson represents a realistic avenue for the Lakers to address a lingering weakness without disrupting the core built around Doncic and Kessler.
In an offseason defined more by restraint than aggression, such a multi-team deal would mark a calculated gamble on veteran shooting that could pay dividends once the regular season begins.
