Lakers are making the right move to focus on the 2019 free agents
By Keith Rivas
With the Lakers shifting their focus, it seems, to 2019, the question now becomes whether or not they can land a guy like Klay Thompson.
Getting Paul George to leave Oklahoma City would be one thing, but that doesn’t seem too much in their cards at this point in time. Los Angeles has been going through some continuing growing pains with the young core that they have, while OKC has superstar talent around George already.
And if the Lakers really believe they’re going to lure LeBron away from Cleveland, they still have yet to establish the determining factor of if they can keep LaVar Ball out of the circle and sphere of influence.
With every moment in which they fail to take control of the situation and let Ball’s mouth control the swing of emotions in Los Angeles, the more and more likely they are to lose out on landing James.
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These two situations with their top respective free agent targets makes the ESPN report about wanting to focus on the free agent class of 2019 seem a lot more logical. That class is looking like it’ll include Kawhi Leonard of San Antonio and Klay Thompson from Golden State in addition to Jimmy Butler of Minnesota.
All three of those players would address a need the team has in the starting lineup, while also giving Magic Johnson what he wants in the presence of a superstar. At first glance, it might seem a bit crazy to assert that Thompson has the best percentage chance of leaving his current team for LA, but it’s true.
Leonard may very well leave the Spurs without hesitation after conflict over how to continue his rehabilitation from injury this season, but the Lakers need to have their focus zoned in on the Warriors’ shooting guard.
When Golden State added Kevin Durant, it left Klay Thompson as a third wheel and sometimes not even that on the offensive side of the ball. We’ve all seen what he can do when he gets hot, and imagining what that could look like alongside a developed Lonzo Ball is spectacular.
Thompson will be the more likely one to leave for Los Angeles because of his family ties to the Lakers, the fact that he’s already a two-time champion with the Warriors, and by that point in his career, he’ll probably want that spotlight back.
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There’s no way Jimmy Butler leaves the Timberwolves because they’ll be the most attractive location for him to play in and they’ll do absolutely everything in their power to make sure he’s going to get paid.