Lakers get bad news in pursuit of veteran star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers are in a bit of a bind as they try to piece together a post-LeBron James roster. It's not easy losing a franchise star player, one of the main faces of the franchise, after eight years together. So, the Lakers are in need of some big changes.
As the offseason continues, reports have indicated that the Lakers had their eyes on Klay Thompson as a target to get high-level perimeter shooting. He would also add a much-needed veteran presence to their roster.
Those dreams vanished on Friday. NBA insider Shams Charania has revealed that Thompson is "expected to sign with the Miami Heat after he clears waivers upon a contract buyout with the Dallas Mavericks," per sources from ESPN.
Lakers miss out on a veteran sharpshooterThat hurts. It's not something the Lakers can't overcome. Missing out on Thompson means a lost opportunity for the Lakers to add a sharpshooter to their lineup. It also strengthens one of their rival teams, which already has stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
For the Heat, adding Thompson to their lineup is icing on the cake after putting together a core with Antetokounmpo and Adebayo at the top.
Also, it's not easy to find a veteran shooter who's still clocking solid numbers. Last season, with the Mavericks, Thompson played in 69 games and averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 21.7 minutes per game. That's a lot of playing time, and it's almost certain the Lakers would have benefited from adding him to the mix.
But, what's done is done, and now, Los Angeles will forge ahead and look for another veteran to add to the blend.
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