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The Los Angeles Lakers have very few players on their roster with guaranteed contracts going into the 2014-15 NBA season. That can be seen as good or bad, but at least for now it could mean the door is open to them filling out that roster with major talent upgrades.
Golden State Warriors sharpshooting guard Klay Thompson might be part of the rebuilding plan.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers are engaged in talks with the Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves that could set up a massive three-team blockbuster deal centered around superstar forward Kevin Love.
In the proposed deal, Love and possibly shooting guard Kevin Martin would go to Golden State, while Thompson would go to L.A. The Timberwolves would then likely receive the Lakers’ seventh overall selection in this year’s draft, as well as a package of players and/or picks from Golden State.
If this deal goes down, it would thrust Thompson into the starting shooting guard spot for L.A., which would then likely push star guard Kobe Bryant over to the small forward spot. This could be the ideal move for Bryant, who has the size, range and versatility to handle the position switch, but might be better suited at his advanced age to cover the small forward position that the shooting guard position.
Landing Thompson would be a great star for the Lakers to rebuild their roster into a legit contender, as the 6’6” swing man has proven to be a quality scorer and lights out shooter at the NBA level. While not always the most consistent performer, Thompson provides solid versatility and has shown he also can be a more than capable defender.
Thompson would be a building block for the Lakers to work around even after Bryant retires in two years, while he’s one extra solid piece that could help attract bigger talent. With free agency closing in and names like Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James about to hit the open market, the Lakers could suddenly be in position to make several big splashes in a row. A small wave created by trading for Thompson could merely be the beginning.
