More than 24 hours into free agency, armed with LeBron James’ willingness to take less than the maximum salary if the Lakers can find a meaningful use for their mid-level exemption, the team has yet to make any significant moves.
Although the Lakers agreed to a new contract with Max Christie prior to the opening of free agency (when teams can still negotiate with players from other teams), the Lakers’ small roster and salary cap have prevented them from making any moves.
The Lakers’ pursuit of Klay Thompson ended Monday when the four-time NBA champion left Golden State for a sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks.
The team’s next move could be to pursue free-agent wing DeMar DeRozan, an elite midrange scorer and playmaker who lacks the point-of-attack defender and three-point shooter that made Thompson a Lakers priority. It’s unclear how serious the interest would be from either side.
The Mavericks reportedly agreed to a three-year, $50 million contract with Thompson. And while some with secondhand knowledge of the Lakers’ negotiations with Thompson believe the Lakers offered him more years and more money, the team would have had to reach a sign-and-trade deal to create that cap space. Otherwise, the most the Lakers could offer him was the full midlevel exception, which could be four years starting at a $12.8 million starting salary — assuming James’ next contract with the Lakers allows them to use the exception.
If the Lakers fail to make meaningful moves with that exception, James is expected to sign for the maximum amount.
Read more: Lakers re-sign Max Christie as free agency begins
In Dallas, Thompson will be the starting small forward alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving for a team that played in the NBA Finals last season.
Thompson, who turned 34 in February, played in 77 games for Golden State last season, averaging 17.9 points and shooting 38.7 percent from three-point range. It was his second full season after sitting out more than two years with a knee injury and a torn Achilles tendon.
Thompson grew up a Lakers fan and Kobe Bryant follower. He told The Times that in high school, he would often hang out in the loading area of the Staples Center, just waiting for a quick chat with his favorite player.
“My favorite part of the night was going out to the tarmac to see him go, so I could say, ‘Hey,’ and see what he was driving, what he was wearing, how he was walking,” Thompson told The Times in 2021. “Those were such fond memories for me, in the parking lot of the Staples Center.
“Just the fact that he knew my name was enough for me to tell people he was my ‘good friend.’”
Thompson became an unrestricted free agent after 13 seasons with the Warriors, where he formed one half of the “Splash Brothers” with backcourt mate Stephen Curry.
Thompson was one of the best shooters of his era and also one of the league’s best defenders until he suffered a serious knee injury during the 2019 NBA Finals. While recovering from that injury, he tore his Achilles tendon, costing him another season.
In the 178 games since his return, Thompson has averaged 19.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists while making nearly 40 percent of his 9.7 three-point attempts per game.
Read more: D’Angelo Russell will exercise his player option and remain with the Lakers
But the Warriors struggled last season, and it became clear that their plans for Thompson weren’t quite in line with his plans. The Warriors benched him for the first time since his rookie season. Instead of offering him a max contract extension, Golden State was willing to give him two years and $48 million more than last season, according to reports. He declined.
The Lakers’ lack of flexibility can be traced to last summer, when the team used player options to lure three minimum contracts — Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish. All three picked up their player options, as did starting point guard D’Angelo Russell.
The team added rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James during the NBA draft, leaving them with just two spots on the roster heading into free agency. Christie will take one of those spots by remaining with the Lakers, while the other spot will go to LeBron James once he signs his new deal.
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
