3. Tristan Thompson
Tristan Thompson would essentially give the Los Angeles Lakers the same thing that Hassan Whiteside would. Thompson would add a rebounding and shot-blocking presence down low that can eat some of the minutes in the rotation.
That being said, Thompson would essentially be a worse version of Whiteside for this team. While he does the same thing, he does not do it nearly as well at this point in his career. With three teams last year, Thompson averaged 6.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.4 blocks in 15.7 minutes per game.
He might not be as impressive as Whiteside but he is still an option. But why would the Lakers sign someone like Thompson over Whiteside if both are available? Simple. Thompson is a former teammate of LeBron James and is still a Klutch Sports client.
The Lakers have already proven to us with this roster that they will do Klutch a favor and sign their guys. That is why the trio of Juan Toscano-Anderson, Troy Brown Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV were the first signings the Lakers made last summer.
The difference between Whiteside and Thompson is not going to make or break the team’s season so Rob Pelinka might be willing to do Klutch a favor for their guy to get him back in the league while also adding depth in the process.
NBA trade rumors: A Lakers-Bulls package to send Alex Caruso back to LA
Alex Caruso's name has been a prominent one in the NBA trade rumors and the Lakers could reunite with him in this potential trade package.
The Lakers haven’t done much to help LeBron James this season, so a move like this that obviously has other implications seems likely.