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Prior to LeBron James and Anthony Davis joining forces, the Los Angeles Lakers were linked to a lot of star players. One guy who would’ve made a lot of sense on the squad is Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson. His father, Mychal Thompson, won two championships with the franchise and he grew up in Los Angeles. While he’s had chances to go play for his dad’s former team, the pull to stay with the Warriors has been too strong.
Any chances of Thompson coming back home seem pretty much dead at this point in his career. However, Mychal Thompson made it clear that he tried to get his son to be a Laker when he was younger.
Nobody can blame Thompson for sticking with the Warriors. He won three championships and has a great relationship with Steph Curry. Prior to last season, the Lakers weren’t exactly powerhouses. They missed the playoffs for five straight seasons. Any player in the NBA would rather win championships than play for their hometown team that is struggling.
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Thompson Would Be Perfect Fit With Lakers
While Thompson is likely a Warrior for life, there’s no doubt he’d be an excellent fit for the Lakers. His elite 3-point shooting and defensive ability make him one of the best shooting guards in the NBA. What’s really appealing about his skill set is that he doesn’t need the ball in his hands.
That would pair up very nicely with LeBron, who does his best work when he’s running the offense. There aren’t many superstars as selfless as Thompson. Most of the best players want the ball in their hands. Thompson understands that he’s most effective when others can get him the ball. He’s perfected that part of his game and it’s made him one of the best players around.
Now that the Warriors dynasty appears to be over, it could be time for some of their stars to start thinking about their futures. It’s easy to see Thompson finding it appealing to finish his career with his hometown team.
Will Thompson Be the Same Once He Returns?
The last two years have been very rough for Thompson. Instead of winning his fourth championship in 2019, he suffered a torn ACL during the NBA Finals. That caused him to miss the entire next season. It looked like he’d be back this year but hurt his Achilles tendon and won’t be suiting up.
ACL tears and Achilles injuries are two of the most feared injuries in sports. Many athletes never fully recover from those injuries. Thompson is only 31-years-old so there’s a chance he’ll be able to get back to where he was. Also, his style of play on offense shouldn’t be affected too much. However, it’s hard to imagine he’ll still be an elite defender. The first order of business is getting back on the court. He’ll always be a great shooter but there has to be concerns with how much he’ll be able to do outside of that.
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