The idea of Klay Thompson in a Lakers uniform has moved from offseason chatter to a full-on fan debate, all because of one hypothetical lineup that put him next to Luka Doncic.
That concept came into focus after ESPN NBA reporter Evan Sidery posted a projected Lakers rotation built around two names Los Angeles has been chasing: Jonathan Kuminga and Thompson. In that version, the starters would be Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Klay, Kuminga and Walker Kessler, with Collin Sexton, Cameron Carr, Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, Matisse Thybulle, Adou Thiero and Sandro Mamukelashvili off the bench.
The Lakers’ rotation next season, if they acquired Jonathan Kuminga + Klay Thompson:
Starters: Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Klay, Kuminga, Walker Kessler
Second Unit: Collin Sexton, Cameron Carr, Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, Matisse Thybulle, Adou Thiero, Sandro Mamukelashvili pic.twitter.com/4rqJVP4V8B
- Evan Sidery (@esidery) August 7, 2026
For Lakers fans, that was the first real picture of Thompson sharing a backcourt with Doncic in Los Angeles. On paper, the fit is easy to see.
Thompson remains one of the league’s cleanest shooters, with 2899 career triples and a 40.9% mark from deep. Put that kind of spacing next to Doncic, who put up 33.5 points and 8.3 assists last season, and the offensive ceiling gets loud in a hurry.
Add Kuminga’s 12.5 points per game and Kessler’s rim protection, and the starting group starts to look dangerous on paper. It also comes with a layer of irony that Lakers fans won’t miss.
Thompson passed on a much larger four-year, $80 million Lakers offer in the 2024 offseason so he could chase a title beside Doncic in Dallas. Now Doncic is the one running the show in Los Angeles, while Thompson is in the final year of the three-year deal he signed with the Mavericks. If a trade or buyout somehow brought him to LA, the two stars would finally end up on the same floor.
That doesn’t mean Lakers fans are sold. The reaction online was blunt, with plenty of pushback over Thompson’s role and whether he still belongs in a starting lineup.
One fan wrote, "F Klay Thompson. He can't be a starter.
His golden days are over and done."
Another added, "I don't think the Lakers want Klay. He's only a shooter now, which he's not even elite at anymore."
A third noted, "That would be one of the worse defensive starting fives in the league if not the worst."
The fourth one asked, "Why on earth would Klay be starting?"
A random X user penned, "Y'all are not getting Klay - the Mavs have no motivation to buy him out. They are under the second apron."
There’s also the financial side, and it’s not friendly to the idea. The Lakers are listed at a negative $35.9 million in cap space and sit just over the luxury tax line by -$469,322.
They do have more than $20.7 million before reaching the second apron, but that room can’t be used for direct signings. With the team hard-capped at the first apron and only $8.11 million in real spending flexibility, Los Angeles would have to send out matching salary to take on Thompson’s $17.46 million contract.
For now, the hypothetical remains just that: a concept that showed fans what Thompson next to Doncic might look like, even if the reaction around it was anything but welcoming.
In Other News...
Hawks Suddenly Have A Lot At Stake In This Lakers Trade Idea
The Lakers are still working the trade market as they try to fill a hole at starting power forward, and the search has started to pull in some familiar names. Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht have been floated in that process, while Los Angeles has also put a sign-and-trade offer on the table for Jonathan Kuminga as part of a package valued around $45 million. No deal has come together yet, but the framework has created enough movement to keep rival teams watching closely.
One of the more interesting possibilities has Atlanta dragged into the discussion, with a three-team setup that would reshape more than just the Lakers frontcourt. In that version, Los Angeles would be aiming to land Kuminga and Mo Gueye, while the Hawks and Trail Blazers would each have reason to weigh what they get back. For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious enough to make this more than a passing rumor, but the final structure still has to hold together before anyone can treat it as real. [Read more 🡒]
Klay Thompson Situation Just Got More Interesting For The Lakers
Klay Thompsons future has become a name to watch again, and from the Lakers standpoint the appeal is easy to see. The veteran shooter remains on an expiring contract, and even at this stage of his career he still carries value because of his shooting touch and playoff experience. With Los Angeles looking for every possible way to add reliable offense around its core, Thompson naturally fits into the kind of conversation that can gain traction quickly in the late summer market.
For now, though, the situation is still very much in the discussion phase. Dallas is not working on a buyout with Thompson, and there have been no active trade or buyout moves to signal where this goes next. The Mavericks are still open to trading him rather than simply letting him leave without return, which keeps the door cracked for teams like the Lakers and Heat, even if the path to a deal is still anything but clear. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Roster Debate Just Got More Uncomfortable For Playoff Hopes
The Lakers roster chatter has shifted from whether they can get in to whether this group is actually equipped to do anything once it does. Channing Frye added to that conversation by questioning the ceiling of Los Angeles new-look lineup, saying the team may be good enough to reach the playoffs but does not look built to battle the better teams on the other side. His comparison to the Mavericks around Luka Doncic underscored the concern, with Frye pointing to a gap in athleticism and defensive ability.
For a Lakers team still sorting through roster moves and weighing possible additions, the skepticism lands at an uncomfortable time. The front office can keep searching for the right fit, but the bigger issue is whether the current construction matches what postseason basketball demands. If the Lakers are going to quiet the doubts, they will have to show that the pieces around their stars can hold up against the leagues more complete teams, not just survive the regular season grind. [Read more 🡒]