Lakers' Klay Thompson interest makes Mavericks fans' Luka Doncic wound worse

The Los Angeles Lakers are doing everything in their power to put the best team around Luka Doncic this summer. They have fully dedicated themselves to putting complementary players around Doncic ahead of his second full season with the team, with reports surfacing that they were looking to build a second version of the team that surrounded him on the Dallas Mavericks. LA's roster looks completely different compared to last season, but their offseason overhaul isn't over.

Lakers want to add Klay Thompson

Los Angeles added Jaden Hardy and Quentin Grimes this offseason, two players that Doncic played with in Dallas, and they're looking to add a third before next season. According to ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel, the Lakers are interested in signing Klay Thompson if he hits the buyout market.

"Aside from the Heat, two other teams with a level of interest in Thompson are the Lakers and Warriors. Then again, both teams would only want to to add the current Mavs' wing if he were to be a free agent, meaning a potential buyout in Dallas," Siegel reported.

The Mavericks prefer to trade Thompson rather than buy him out in an effort to get some value back for the four-time NBA champion. Since his trade market is relatively thin right now outside the Miami Heat, they could ultimately be forced to buy him out.

The Mavs have 16 players on standard contracts, meaning they'll have to make a move before the start of the regular season to free up a roster spot. If Dallas makes such a move and buys out Thompson, expect Los Angeles to be in the mix to sign him.

The Lakers tried to sign Thompson in the summer of 2024 before he signed with Dallas, and now they're trying to give Luka the exact player the Mavericks gave him before kicking Doncic to the curb in February of 2025.

Luka Doncic and Klay Thompson barely got to play together

This makes Mavericks fans' pain of losing Doncic even worse, as the Lakers' fondness for Thompson validates Dallas' interest in pairing him with Doncic in 2024. Los Angeles' main priority is finding players who make Doncic's life easier, and Thompson fits that mold.

Thompson and Doncic were clearly meant to play with one another. Luka has always been at his best when surrounded by strong shooters, and after a disappointing showing from long range in the 2024 NBA Finals, they needed someone like Thompson. He was the perfect signing for Dallas, and it didn't take long for them to realize that in the 2024-25 season.

Doncic's on-ball gravity combined with Thompson's strong 3-point shooting makes them a dream duo, and the fact that they only played 21 games together is a shame.

Now, two years after Dallas originally signed Thompson to play with Doncic, the Lakers want to do the same thing if the Mavericks buy him out. If Dallas buys him out and Los Angeles signs him, the Lakers will have the chance to see how dominant this duo can be with a full season playing together.

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