Klay Thompson’s future is suddenly one of the more interesting late-summer storylines in the league, and the Lakers are right in the middle of it.
Thompson is heading into the final year of his contract, and the buzz around where he lands next is picking up quickly. The latest reporting ties him to Los Angeles, a team still looking for steadier perimeter shooting. That was enough to get one former NBA champion fired up.
Ron Artest reacted to the rumor on X this week with a line that made the rounds fast: "Wow if this is true," Artest wrote. "I need the klay laker jersey."
There’s real Lakers history here, too. Thompson’s father, Mychal, won two championships with the Lakers and remains part of the organization as the team’s radio color commentator. Thompson himself also has a connection to Los Angeles beyond the family tie: he spent part of his childhood there and still owns a home, according to The Athletic.
The path to a possible move starts in Dallas, where Thompson’s role changed last season under Jason Kidd. His scoring and playing time both dropped to career lows, with averages of 11.7 points and 21.7 minutes per game. Reports out of Dallas also say the Mavericks are looking at trade possibilities, rather than just letting him leave for nothing.
Dallas has already made other moves aimed at addressing shooting, trading for Santi Aldama and securing the EuroLeague rights to Tarik Biberovic. That only adds to the uncertainty around Thompson’s place in the rotation. The roster math is part of the equation, too: the Mavericks currently have 16 players on standard contracts, so they’d need a corresponding move before the regular season starts.
The Lakers angle has some unfinished business attached to it. Thompson passed on Los Angeles in free agency in 2024 and instead joined Luka Doncic in Dallas.
That pairing barely got going before the Mavericks shocked the league by trading Doncic to the Lakers in February. The two ended up sharing the floor for just 21 games.
Doncic was enthusiastic about Thompson when the signing happened, saying he could not wait to play with the four-time champion. That never really got a chance to develop, and now the possibility of Thompson ending up in Los Angeles has brought the whole thing back around.
A trade isn’t the only route, though. If Dallas can’t find a deal, a buyout is still viewed as the most realistic option. Miami is also in the mix, but the Lakers connection stands out because of the family background and the possibility of Thompson landing in a place that already feels connected to his story.
Nothing is set yet, and Dallas is still sorting through its options with training camp approaching. But between the rumors, the roster fit and Artest already imagining the jersey, the idea of Thompson in purple and gold is starting to feel a lot more real.
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