Lakers Draft Rumors: Klay Thomspon headed to LA?

Realistically, the Lakers have never been in contention to trade for Kevin Love this off-season. However, according to Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times, the Lakers may be in the middle of Love trade talks after all, but for a much different player than the UCLA forward.

"The Lakers have been in discussions to acquire Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson for the seventh pick in next week’s draft, The Times has learned.The deal would be part of a larger three-way trade that sends Minnesota All-Star power forward Kevin Love to the Warriors. The Lakers are interested but the deal has been put on hold because of a difference in opinion within the Warriors’ organization whether or not to keep Thompson while trying to obtain Love."

Talk about blockbuster. The Lakers have been dangling the 7th pick out there, fielding offers and doing their due diligence with draft prospects. This trade rumor comes right on the heels of the news that the Lakers and 76ers have been in discussions to swap the pick for Michael Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young.

This latest rumor involving Thompson, however, has come out of left field. While nearly every NBA fan was aware the Warriors and Timberwolves were in talks to swap Love, the Lakers had not been rumored to be involved in the least bit. However, this is all part of a time period where every team is calling around and shopping players/picks, so a certain grain of salt must be taken with this rumors.

Thompson is a red-hot shooting youngster who averaged a career high 18.4 points last season on 44% field goal shooting and 41% three-point shooting. Together with Steph Curry, the duo were one of the hottest shooting back courts in the league last season. Thompson is under contract for next season before becoming a restricted free agent.