NBA Rumors: Why reuniting Tristan Thompson with LeBron James would be in LA Lakers best interest
Even though LeBron James just recorded the greatest year 17th by an NBA player ever, rest assured the King of Akron will not be resting on his laurels anytime soon. As per latest NBA rumors, the 4-time Finals MVP is already on the lookout for players who can help better the LA Lakers roster.
This week LeBron James dominated the headlines once again when he Tweeted about an evening he had just spent with his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Tristan Thompson.
Triston, who is going to be free-agent this coming offseason will attract interest from multiple teams from around the league, however, one team which could offer him the best shot at getting back to the NBA Finals is the LeBron James led LA Lakers.
NBA Rumors: Does acquiring Tristan Thompson work well with the LA Lakers roster?
It was not surprising to see all those associated with the NBA quickly jump to conclusions regarding LA Lakers superstar LeBron James and Tristan Thompson. Paul Pierce, former Boston Celtics star, is convinced that James' dinner with his former teammate was more than just old friends catching up.
The LA Lakers are looking to defend the title next season and who they bring in to play alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis will play a crucial role.
Paul Pierce on The Jump at ESPN said,
"Not only is LeBron one of the best basketball players in the NBA, if not the best, he is one of the best GMs (General Manager). I mean, you gotta understand, everywhere he has been, he has brought in key players"
Both JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard are surrounded by multiple NBA rumors and could possibly decline to resign with the LA Lakers when they become free-agents this offseason.
Dwight Howard, an unrestricted free agent, has many teams looking to target him after his new-found usefulness on a championship roster. And JaVale McGee has a $4.2M player option which he is yet to decide on.
Given LeBron James' knowledge of his own team and his ability to attract talent to whichever team he has played on, Tristan Thompson moving to the LA Lakers wouldn't be a far-fetched assumption.
Tristan Thompson was a teammate of LeBron James for 4 years in Cleveland, a period in which they made it to the NBA Finals in each season. The 4th pick from the 2011 draft will be a free-agent and given that he averaged double-digit scoring and rebounds in his past two seasons, it's no wonder why a host of teams would be interested in him.
Tristan Thompson is known around the league as a fierce rebounder, grabbing critical offensive boards in clutch situations and is athletic enough to defend on the perimeter as well as in the low post. Frank Vogel, being a defensive-minded coach, would really appreciate having a player of his caliber on his roster.
Tristan Thompson played a critical role with LeBron James in Cleveland Cavaliers historic 2016 NBA Championship. LeBron, known for his extremely high game IQ will understand the chemistry he shared with Tristan Thompson and how it can impact his current team going into next season.
Familiar with his playing style, it won't be surprising to see LeBron James seamlessly integrate Tristan Thompson into the LA Lakers style of play. Another factor which could play a huge role in this deal is Thompson's family which resides in Los Angeles. With all these factors in play, expect the NBA rumors build further on from here. The next few weeks will be interesting not only for LeBron James and the LA Lakers but the NBA itself as we gear up for a quick restart.
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