Insider: Lakers have interest in Klay Thompson if he's bought out

According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Los Angeles Lakers are keeping an eye on forward Jonathan Kuminga, but their pursuit of him has cooled recently. Kuminga and his agent still want a significant new contract, and it remains uncertain whether the Lakers can agree with the Atlanta Hawks on a sign-and-trade deal. Meanwhile, the attention is shifting towards Klay Thompson, who has expressed interest in returning to Los Angeles, a place he spent parts of his youth.

Thompson is set to earn $17.46 million this season, and Dallas is hesitant to buy out his contract. If Thompson were to become a free agent, the Lakers and Golden State Warriors would only be interested in him. However, Los Angeles is currently out of salary cap space, and offering Thompson the veteran minimum salary would be their only option.

At 36 years old, Thompson remains a potent three-point shooter but has shown a decline in defense and shooting accuracy since his ACL and Achilles injuries in 2019 and 2020, respectively. His career averages of 11.7 points in 21.7 minutes and a 38.3% three-point shooting rate last season highlight his diminished abilities.