What's Next for the Lakers With Klay Thompson Off the Board?

Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors pulls up to shoot in the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center on February 22, 2024 in San Francisco, California. The Lakers options this free agency are dwindling.

The Los Angeles Lakers were hoping for a dream offseason, but 24 hours into free agency, they have seen a complete letdown. The only significant move the Lakers have made so far is re-signing two-way guard Max Christie, which is notable but not nearly enough to satisfy fans' expectations.

The Lakers have missed out on several key free agents, most recently four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson, who is reportedly joining the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year, $50 million deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. This leaves L.A. in a precarious position as their options continue to dwindle.

The pressing question on every Lakers fan's mind is: "What do the Lakers do now?" The next logical target appears to be L.A. native and All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan is among the players LeBron James reportedly wants the Lakers to pursue during this free agency period. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, James would even be willing to take a pay cut to bring DeRozan to the team.

However, landing DeRozan is far from guaranteed, especially after the Lakers struck out on Thompson, James Harden, and Jonas Valančiūnas. The pool of available talent is shrinking, but the addition of DeRozan, along with a potential trade or two, could help turn the tide for L.A.

At the moment, things look bleak for the Lakers. Vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka is under significant pressure as the team's likelihood of running it back with the current roster increases by the hour. Free agency is far from over, but the prospects for the Lakers are dimming rapidly.

James may sign a max deal if all else fails, demanding a three-year, $162 million contract. Initially, James gave the front office a chance to improve the team by offering to take a pay cut, but with his options narrowing, he may have no choice but to secure his financial future. Blame will be thrown towards Pelinka, and rightfully so. Pelinka has been vocal about how difficult the new CBA has been in building a contender, yet other teams seem to have no issue and are getting better this offseason.

The Lakers' free agency started with high hopes, but it now seems they may come away empty-handed. Despite the initial optimism, the Lakers appear to be heading toward a disappointing outcome this offseason — unless they're able to bring in DeRozan.

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