The 2019 free agency class is arguably set up to be filled with more talent than this past summer’s. Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler could all be on the market, and the Los Angeles Lakers will have the necessary salary cap space to sign one to a max contract.
Arguably the one that makes the most sense for Los Angeles would be Thompson. He’s considered by many the NBA’s best two-way guard and is already viewed as one of the best shooters ever.
He shoots 42.2 percent from deep for his career, while also doubling as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
In ESPN’s Summer Forecast, their experts chose the Lakers as the second-most likely team to sign Thompson, behind him staying with the Warriors:
Either way, our panel sees Thompson staying in the Bay Area as the Warriors move into their new arena in San Francisco next season. But keep an eye on Los Angeles, where Thompson’s father, Mychal, won a pair of titles with the Lakers in the 1980s and where Klay was born and raised.
The Warriors are the overwhelming favorite to retain Thompson as they garnered 72.7 percent of the vote while the Lakers earned 15.2 percent. Considering what Thompson has said recently, it makes sense that staying with the Warriors would be the betting favorite.
As was noted, Klay’s father, Mychal Thompson, is a former Laker who won two championships during the Showtime era and still serves as the team’s radio analyst during games. The history could very well lead to Thompson wanting to come to L.A., but he could also very easily want to continue to carve his own path in Golden State.
Thompson will undoubtedly be an extremely sought after free agent next summer, but it will likely take a lot to convince him to leave that Warriors dynasty.
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