The Los Angeles Lakers have had a busy offseason, and they may not be done making moves just yet. The front office is continuing to look at upgrades to round out the edges of the roster, and that has led to a swath of rumors coming out surrounding the team and Dallas Mavericks sharpshooter Klay Thompson.
With the Mavs reportedly interested in moving on from Thompson this offseason, the Lakers have emerged as a suitor, which makes sense given his familiarity playing alongside Luka Doncic. And yet, while Los Angeles would like to bring Thompson to town, it is only going to do so if he gets bought out by Dallas.
Lakers Not Interested in Trading for Klay Thompson
“The Mavs are focused on finding a trade for [Klay]. The Mavs do not hold interest in buying Thompson out and want to utilize his expiring contract to add something of value… Aside from the Heat, two other teams
Injuries have sapped Thompson of some of his skills in recent years, but he is still a valuable sharpshooter who can space the floor for ball-dominant players like Doncic and Austin Reaves. With L.A. losing some of its floor-spacing threats this offseason, acquiring a guy like Thompson would make a lot of sense.
Thompson’s numbers from the 2025-26 campaign aren’t all that impressive, but all that’s important is the fact that he hit 38.3% of his threes. As long as Thompson can continue knocking down shots from behind the arc, he will have value, even though the Mavs, who are looking to get younger, are exploring ways to move off of his contract.
Initially, Dallas appeared open to either trading Thompson or just buying him out of his contract if a deal didn’t materialize. However, as interest in him has picked up, the team has made it clear it wants to find a way to get something in return for his services. The problem is that the Lakers, one of a handful of teams interested in Thompson, have no interest in swinging a trade for him.
“The Mavs are focused on finding a trade for (Klay),” Siegel wrote. “The Mavs do not hold interest in buying Thompson out and want to utilize his expiring contract to add something of value … Aside from the Heat, two other teams with a level of interest in Thompson are the Lakers and Warriors. Then again, both teams would only have interest in adding the current Mavs’ wing if he were to be a free agent, meaning a potential buyout in Dallas.”
Lakers Waiting for Potential Klay Thompson Buyout
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – FEBRUARY 06: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts after a three-point basket against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter at the TD Garden on February 06, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
The only team that would seemingly be open to trading for Thompson is the Miami Heat, which has put the Lakers in a tough spot. Yes, there’s interest in Thompson, but it doesn’t appear to be great enough to convince the front office to move off of any sort of tangible asset in order to add him to the team.
The Heat seemingly have the inside track to acquire Thompson, but if a deal doesn’t come to fruition, L.A. will be waiting in the wings, ready to pounce. As of right now, Dallas’ priority involves trading Thompson, but anything can happen in the NBA, so Los Angeles’ interest is worth keeping tabs on here, even if a trade between these two sides is unlikely.
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