The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly are working out big men Tristan Thompson and Tony Bradley this week.
Los Angeles could use another body in the frontcourt with Mo Bamba currently out of the lineup due to an injury.
The Los Angeles Lakers are working out free agent centers Tristan Thompson and Tony Bradley this week, sources tell me and @jovanbuha. Thompson, an 11-year NBA veteran, was a key member of the 2016 championship Cavaliers team alongside LeBron James.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 20, 2023
Thompson, who played alongside LeBron James during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, has not played in the NBA this season. The veteran big man won an NBA title with the Cavs during the 2015-16 season, helping James and company erase a 3-1 series deficit against the Golden State Warriors.
During the 2021-22 campaign, Thompson played for the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls.
He finished the season averaging 6.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting 52.8 percent from the field.
Thompson wouldn’t bring much of a punch to the Lakers’ offense, but he knows what it takes to win in the playoffs. His relationship with James could also be a reason for the Lakers to give him a shot to close out this season.
Bradley, a former first-round pick, is also an intriguing option for the Lakers.
This season, Bradley has appeared in 12 games, averaging 1.6 points and 0.9 rebounds in just 2.8 minutes per game. He was recently waived by the Chicago Bulls after he failed to crack the team’s rotation for most of the 2022-23 campaign.
Last season, Bradley appeared in 55 games and made seven starts for Chicago in the 2021-22 season, showing that he can be a solid option at center. He averaged 3.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in just 10.0 minutes per game.
In the 2020-21 season, Bradley probably had his best season as a professional.
In 16.3 minutes per game for the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder, the former University of North Carolina star put up 7.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 66.5 percent from the field.
While Bradley and Thompson won’t turn around the Lakers’ season, they could be solid depth options for the team in case it loses another frontcourt player. With Bamba out multiple weeks with an ankle sprain, it makes sense that the team is at least working out a few options this week.
