Every year, there is constant expectation on the Los Angeles Lakers to produce a championship-caliber team on the court. The offseason gives fans hope that the Lakers might once more assemble a championship-caliber team around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. And in the midst of the Lakers’ pursuit of future Hall of Famer Klay Thompson at the beginning of free agency, James wasted little time in trying to get things going.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN claims that James called Thompson as soon as the free agency clock started to run in an attempt to persuade him to join the Lakers in the team’s quest for a championship.

According to Wojnarowski on SportsCenter, via ClutchPoints Twitter (X), “I’m told LeBron James called Klay Thompson right when free agency opened [at] 6 PM Eastern.”

Still, Wojnarowski reports that Klay Thompson is not close to making a decision and that the recruitment process would likely continue until tomorrow at the latest.

“We’ll continue these discussions and this negotiation tomorrow. Wojnarowski continued, “It’s unlikely that a settlement will be reached tonight.

Despite his difficult season in 2023–24, Klay Thompson is still a sought-after player on the free agent market because of his championship history and superb floor-spacing ability. Given his body of work as a marksman, Thompson should still be a high-level role player who demands a ton of respect on the perimeter even though he may not be able to be the second option on offense like the Golden State Warriors needed him to be this past season.

Since Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was moved back in 2021, the Lakers haven’t exactly had a high-level player of that kind on their roster, thus they are also trying to add additional wings to their lineup. Given that Thompson and other shooters of a similar level have surrounded LeBron James throughout his career, it is easy to understand why James is making every effort to persuade the 34-year-old shooting guard to sign with the Lakers.

In the Klay Thompson sweepstakes, the Lakers are not alone.Because of his complimentary hand-and-glove style of play, Klay Thompson remains a highly sought-after player in free agency, as previously indicated. He is a plug-and-play player who has the ability to affect any club in contention because of his ability to score both from movement and the grab.

The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers have joined the Lakers as Thompson’s main suitors. The Mavs have already made a couple of offseason acquisitions: they signed Naji Marshall to serve as the de facto Derrick Jones Jr. replacement and traded for Quentin Grimes. Still, it seems like they aren’t quite done circling yet. The addition of Thompson is a fantastic method to address one of their roster’s most serious weaknesses, especially in light of how they struggled to spread the floor during the NBA Finals.

In the meantime, the Clippers are going through a bit of a change; after yet another injury-plagued postseason run, Paul George has chosen to take his talents elsewhere, Russell Westbrook is headed out, and Mason Plumlee will soon officially join the Phoenix Suns team. The Clippers have a sniper in Klay Thompson to replace George, but is a 34-year-old guard really the best addition for a club that struggles with speed and quickness at all positions?

But the Lakers have LeBron James, and having a man with that kind of power might encourage Thompson to make the right call for the Purple and Gold. However, it remains to be seen if James’ recruitment is successful.

LeBron James and company still have a busy offseason ahead of them.

This summer, the Lakers have already completed a few tasks: they re-signed Max Christie to a $32 million contract for four years, and they appointed JJ Redick as the team’s new head coach. LeBron James plans to rejoin his son Bronny in the future, and he’s even prepared to forgo a pay raise in exchange for the Lakers’ ability to sign more players.

However, the Lakers ought to be an active team in terms of trades as well. In addition to the very tradeable contracts of D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent, among others, they can also dangle a couple first-round picks. Even Jarred Vanderbilt or Austin Reaves might be engaged if the right deal is offered, however it is highly doubtful that Reaves will be included considering how highly the Lakers regard him.

James is getting close to turning 40, so the Lakers should aim high this offseason.