The Los Angeles Lakers had a quiet trade deadline this season.
Given the team’s shortcomings on the floor, many fans wanted to see L.A. make some noise at the deadline, but nothing materialized.
There is, however, still some hope for the Lakers to add some talent via the buyout market.
Tristan Thompson is a player whose name has been frequently mentioned as a potential buyout candidate. If he does end up securing a buyout, it sounds like the Lakers are going to be a team to monitor for his services.
“I’m keeping my eye on Tristan Thompson,” said Michael Scotto of HoopsHype during a recent podcast episode. “He’s a guy that can be a part of a playoff rotation and help a team. The Los Angeles Lakers are a team to keep an eye on should Thompson agree to a buyout with the Indiana Pacers. He certainly has a lot of relationships there, and his rebounding ability would help them.”
Thompson started the 2021-22 season with the Sacramento Kings. He appeared in 30 games for them, making three starts along the way. The big man posted averages of 6.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Prior to the trade deadline, he was sent to the Pacers. So far, he has appeared in three games for them, averaging 4.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest. It remains to be seen how much longer he’ll be with Indiana.
The 30-year-old would surely love to join a playoff contender this season. The Pacers don’t appear to be headed for the postseason, as they’re currently the No. 13 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Lakers haven’t had a very impressive season themselves, but they’re in the mix for a playoff bid. L.A. currently holds the No. 9 spot in the Western Conference and would make the play-in tournament if the season were to end today.
It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for Thompson. He has played for four teams since the start of the 2019-20 season, and it seems like there’s a chance that number will get even bigger in the near future.
