"LeBron James called Klay Thompson": Top NBA Insider drops bombshell amidst Lakers' attempt to land 4xNBA champion

Adrian Wojnarowski added more fuel to the Klay Thompson and LA Lakers links. The NBA insider dropped a bombshell, saying LeBron James reached out to the 4x NBA champion as the 2024 NBA free agency officially kicked in.

The Lakers have been in pursuit of a third star, while Thompson was linked to his hometown team after talks with the Golden State Warriors reportedly reached a dead end.

Per league sources, The 5x All-Star guard is "determined" to find a new home for his 14th NBA season, with both sides believing their 13-year run has come to an end.

Speaking on ESPN, Wojnarowski shed light on the developments in LA, while adding that the outcome will not be immediate.

"He and his agent Greg Lawrence are talking with a number of teams, including the Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks. They have had conversations tonight. I am told LeBron James called Klay Thompson right when free agency opened...These conversations and this negotiation will go into tomorrow. There probably will not be a resolution tonight.”

The Lakers and Mavericks can offer Klay Thompson the $12.9 million midlevel exception, especially with James willing to take a pay cut to help the Lakers. The latest reports also say that the Warriors are reportedly open to facilitating a sign-and-trade move.

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LeBron James "hopeful" that Lakers can make a move to land Klay Thompson in free agency

Supplementing Adrian Wojnarowksi's latest was NBA insider Marc Stein's earlier report that said LeBron James was "hopeful" that the Lakers could make a beeline for Klay Thompson and add him to their ranks. Both James and LA are looking for a potential addition that elevates them to title contenders, and Thompson is one of the names that could help James win his fifth NBA title.

The guard's numbers may have dwindled last season, but there's no denying that a change in form makes him a lethal threat. Thompson is sixth on the NBA's all-time 3-pointer list, behind Steph Curry, Ray Allen, James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Reggie Miller. He is also one of the three players to nail more than 300 3-pointers in a single season.

Thompson brings in veteran experience, solid three-point shooting, and championship DNA that will help the Lakers. With James continuing to perform at a high level, and Anthony Davis hitting his prime, Thompson would be a blockbuster acquisition for the Lakers and would help them maximize their chances of winning another title after last getting their hands on it in 2020.