The Los Angeles Lakers and Jonathan Kuminga are stuck in limbo, which means itâs time to weigh some other options that might help round out the roster.Â
The Lakers need help at the forward position, as evidenced by their ongoing push to sign Kuminga, the 23-year-old unrestricted free agent who is on multiple teamsâ radar. After losing LeBron James and Rui Hachimura in free agency, L.A. may view Kuminga as the next best option, but there are players on the trade block who would fit wonderfully next to Luka Doncic on the Lakers.
Klay Thompson could be one of those players. A five-time All-Star, Thompson is still a productive player â and a 3-point marksman â despite being in his mid-30s. The Lakers could use some shooting. Thompson could use a homecoming. So what kind of deal might be on the table?
Lakers Proposed Trade Lands Klay in Kevin Durant Blockbuster
GettyDALLAS, TEXAS – APRIL 12: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates a three point shot against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at American Airlines Center on April 12, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Although there is a slim possibility that the Dallas Mavericks buyout Thompsonâs contract, it is more likely he is traded.
In a potential three-team trade idea including the Houston Rockets, the Lakers get their hands on Thompson while the Mavericks land Durant. The Rockets receive P.J. Washington, Jarred Vanderbilt, Naji Marshall and two first round picks.
For the Lakers, this hypothetical trade is a total win. They would only lose Vanderbilt, who has rarely been available in recent years, while not having to surrender any of the minimal draft capital left in their asset clip.Â
Thompson is not the two-way star the Lakers are looking for â if only this were 2018! â but heâd possess undeniable offensive upside playing alongside Doncic.Â
Funny enough, Thompson departed the Warriors as a free agent after 13 seasons to play with Doncic in Dallas. Of course, Doncic was traded in what will forever be a head-scratching trade. In the 2024 offseason, Thompson was weighing his options between the Lakers and Mavs. He chose Dallas. If he were to be sent to L.A. in a trade, he would get both the city of Los Angeles and the opportunity to share a uniform with Doncic again.
Would Rockets Agree to Trade Durant?; How Klay Would Elevate the Lakers
GettyHouston Rockets forward Kevin Durant looks on during a game. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Lakers could very well acquire Thompson in a direct trade with the Mavs. But for the sake of this article (and some fun hypothetical trades), say the Rockets were approached with a deal like this. Would they accept?Â
There is little indication that Houston is looking to move on from Durant, whom the franchise acquired just last summer from the Phoenix Suns. There has been some reporting, however, that the Rockets donât consider Durant, the 37-year-old former MVP, untouchable.
As for the Lakers, adding Thompson would deliver the perfect bench spark plug. No, heâs not the same guy who once scored 37 points in a single quarter, or that guy who used to score 50 or 60 points on a number of dribbles he could count on one hand, or that guy who cashed 14 3-points in a game.
But he averaged roughly 12 points per game and a 38% clip from the 3-point line last season.Â
Now put Thompson next to No. 77, the one notorious for feeding 3-point shooters, and those numbers could jump to 15 points per game and 41% from 3.
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