Klay Thompson Would Welcome a Lakers Return — But the Math Is Ugly
Thompson is open to a move back to LA, but the $17.5M vet and a Mavs roster crunch make any realistic path a long shot for fantasy managers.
A buyout to LA or Miami could revive his value, but nothing's close yet.
- Thompson due $17.5M in the final year of his deal
- 17.8 fantasy pts/game last season (2025-26 actual)
- Ranked #245 overall, #111 among guards on our board
- Averaged 11.7 pts in 69 games in 2025-26
- Picked Dallas over LA in 2024 free agency
Klay Thompson wants back in Los Angeles. According to reporting from The Athletic, the four-time champion would welcome a return to the city where he spent part of his childhood and still owns a home — and with Dallas already exploring trade talks around him, the door isn't fully closed. Thompson is in the last year of his contract, due $17.5 million, and put up 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists across 69 games in 2025-26.
Here's the twist that makes this juicy: Thompson chose the Mavs over the Lakers in the summer of 2024, back when Luka Dončić was still in Dallas. Two years and one franchise-altering trade later, the fits have flipped. His declining production plus that salary have made him nearly impossible to move, and a non-contending Dallas team is the textbook setup for a mid-season parting of ways.
The Lakers have been chasing wing help all summer, most notably in a stalled Jonathan Kuminga pursuit that feels less likely by the week. That leaves LA hunting for shooting elsewhere, and Thompson's pedigree — even a diminished version of it — is hard to wave off, especially on a minimum deal.
The Path Is Narrow
Don't get ahead of yourself. A straight trade looks improbable, and the Lakers still need a consolidation move just to be roster-compliant, the same hurdle facing their reported interest in Jericho Sims. The more realistic route is a buyout, after which Thompson picks his spot. Miami keeps coming up as a landing place where he'd play a bigger role, and if he simply wants California, Golden State would presumably be in the conversation too.
So LA might not even be the frontrunner. Thompson would have to genuinely prioritize a homecoming or a Luka reunion over minutes and a defined role elsewhere. That's a lot of ifs stacked on top of each other.
For fantasy purposes, Thompson's 17.8 fantasy points per game (2025-26 actual) puts him at #245 overall on our board — deep-league fodder at best right now. Where he lands matters more than whether he moves. A buyout to a team that hands him rotation minutes bumps his streaming appeal; a bench role on a crowded contender kills it. Keep him on your watch list, not your roster, until his destination is settled.
