With notable trades starting to happen across the NBA, it looks like the Los Angeles Lakers might play things safe. If they add to the roster, it will be through free agency. There’s been talk about all the different buyout candidates the team could target but they could also have interest in players who are already free agents.
One name to keep an eye on is Isaiah Thomas. According to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski, the Lakers are could have an interest in the veteran guard.
Thomas was briefly a member of the Lakers during the 2017-2018 season. In the 17 games he played, he averaged 15.6 points a game. Most recently, Thomas was with the Washington Wizards last season. He shot a career-high 41.3% from the 3-point line during that time. If he’s truly improved his 3-point shooting, he could be a very good pickup for the Lakers.
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Thomas Once Finished Top-5 in MVP Voting
Thomas is truly one of the most fascinating players in NBA history. He’s only 5-foot-9 and is one of the few short players to have a lot of success in the league. It wasn’t that long ago that he looked like one of the best players in the world.
Back when he was with the Boston Celtics in 2017, he put together an excellent season. He averaged 28.9 points a game and led the team to the best record in the Eastern Conference. Thanks to his season, Thomas was fifth in MVP voting that season. Unfortunately, things came crashing down very quickly for the emerging superstar.
Thomas suffered a brutal hip injury during the Celtics’ playoff run and hasn’t been the same since. He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the Kyrie Irving deal but didn’t last long. He’s never been able to fully regain form. Perhaps taking some extra time off has allowed Thomas to work out the kinks and he can return to being a true impact player.
Will Lakers Actually Consider Adding Thomas?
GettyIsaiah Thomas during his Lakers stint.
The Lakers would be an interesting landing spot for Thomas. He played with LeBron James for a brief time in Cleveland and already has ties to the team thanks to his brief stint in Los Angeles. What should pique the Lakers’ interest in the guard is the fact that he shot really well from 3-point range last season.
He’s only a career 36.4% shooter but shot over 40% with the Wizards. What Los Angeles truly needs is a strong 3-point shooter. They have an elite defense and when Anthony Davis returns, they’ll have an elite big man. The Lakers have major issues on offense and if Thomas does anything well, it’s scoring points.
At this point, he wouldn’t have a huge role. The team is locked into Dennis Schroder as the starter. However, it wouldn’t hurt to have an extra player who is capable of running an offense if necessary. There’s a very good chance the Lakers do have legit interest in Thomas.
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Lakers Could Have Interest in Signing 2-Time All-Star: Report