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The Los Angeles Lakers had a quiet trade deadline.
The team opted to sign Spencer Dinwiddie in the post-deadline buyout market. But they were active behind the scenes, both looking for potential deals to improve the team as well as shooing away some prospective suitors of some of their players, namely LeBron James.
James drew interest from the Philadelphia 76ers, who were rebuffed by Lakers brass. The Lakers star declined interest from the Golden State Warriors.
Now, the Lakers could try poaching the Warriors, namely five-time All-Star Klay Thompson.
“I expect him to test the marketplace,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania said on the “Pat McAfee Show” on February 16. “I would expect both Florida teams, I would expect both LA teams, I would expect potentially a couple East Coast teams to have interest in Klay Thompson.”
Thompson, 34, is in the final year of a five-year, $189.9 million contract. The Warriors are just one game above .500 at the All-Star break, setting the stage for offseason changes.
One of those changes could very well be Thompson.
The four-time champion Splash Brother is averaging 17.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 37.3% from beyond the arc this season. He’s also missed just 13 games over the last season-plus after injuries eliminated or marred three consecutive campaigns.
Lakers Would Be Getting a Diminished Klay Thompson in Free Agency
“He’s shown still that he can be Klay Thompson. He can go and help a team, I think to a high degree,” Charania said. “And then you have this question of his role, right? … But this is a guy, Klay Thompson – he’s a four-time champion, All-NBA, All-Star-caliber guy – now coming off the bench. That’s an adjustment.”
Thompson spoke candidly about Head Coach Steve Kerr’s decision to go with rookie Brandin Podziemski in the starting lineup over him.
The 6-foot-6 swingman responded with 35 points on 59.1% shooting from the floor including going 7-for-13 from beyond the arc in the Warriors’ win over the Utah Jazz on February 15.
However, he is no longer the defender that he once was, particularly on the perimeter.
His time at power forward has increased this season as he is still a strong player. He has played small forward more over the last two seasons, per Basketball Reference. Thompson also has a career-worst 120 defensive rating, beating the mark he set just last season.
With no deal coming and nothing appearing imminent for the end of the season, the Lakers could have a chance to land a proven difference-maker in the postseason.
“They offered him an extension around two years, $48 million,” Charania said, comparing it to teammate Draymond Green’s four-year, $100 million pact. “As of right now, unless there’s a miracle extension, he’s going to test the marketplace.”
Lakers Looking at Tigh Salary Cap Situation
Money, as is often the case, could be the most significant hurdle for the Lakers to clear. Spotrac projects 10 teams to have at least $20 million in cap space next offseason, including the Sixers.
The Lakers could need Thompson – who has long embraced the Bay Area lifestyle – to want to remain on the West Coast and not eye some other sunny locale such as South Beach and the Miami Heat.
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