4 Free Agents the Lakers Can Target to Replace D'Angelo Russell Following Latest Contract Rumor
By Cem Yolbulan
4. Klay Thompson
Perhaps this one is more of a pipe dream. Klay Thompson in a Lakers uniform has long been a fantasy for fans in Los Angeles. He is a Los Angeles native, has the championship pedigree and the star shine the Lakers as an organization loves. And now, he is hitting unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career, and his price tag might be within the Lakers' range.
That all depends on whether the Golden State Warriors and Thompson decide to call it quits. Klay has been there since 2011 and is one of the faces of the franchise, having won four championships there. At age 34, it would be a huge change to leave Golden State.
The only reason one could see the five-time All-Star leave the Warriors would be financial. Golden State is an expensive team and is nowhere close to title contention. There is a chance they might think that it's not worth bringing Thompson back and paying the luxury tax for a play-in-level team.
In that case, the Lakers are unlikely to give him the best offer. Even though Thompson is not in his prime anymore, he is still an excellent fit anywhere due to his elite shooting and floor spacing. Every team with cap space will target him this offseason.
Of course, Thompson could give the Lakers a hometown discount and join James and Anthony Davis. He would immediately be the best shooter the Lakers had in the LeBron era and bring this offense to the next level.
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