Los Angeles Lakers: 5 dream targets during 2019 NBA free agency

3. Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors (Unrestricted)

Realistically, there may not be a more ideal option than Klay Thompson. Unfortunately, of the five players on this list, signing Thompson may turn out to be the most unlikely of options for the Lakers.

If they do get the opportunity to at least pitch him, though, they need to roll out the red carpet.
Thompson is everything you want in a James complement. As I’ve already mentioned, the Lakers need to surround the King with more shooting. What better way to do so than to add one of the Splash Brothers to the mix?

Yes, Thompson has had an up-and-down year in 2018-19, but there’s no denying he’s one of the very best snipers in the league. He owns a career 41.9 success rate from downtown and is among the NBA’s elite spot-up shooters. Just reference his 47.5 3-point percentage from January, and 70.6 3-point percentage so far this month if you need more evidence.

Here’s the problem: The general belief is he doesn’t plan on bailing on the Golden State Warriors. The Athletic’s Ethan Strauss recently reported that the expectation inside and outside of the organization is that Thompson is staying put. Especially if he agrees to sign a discount deal to remain in the Bay Area, the Warriors will have no choice but to bring him back.

Still, what the future holds is a mystery. If the Warriors decide to re-sign another player mentioned later on this list, they may not have the money to bring back Thompson. That could open the door for the sniping guard to take his talents to Los Angeles.