Jarred Vanderbilt has two years and close to $25.7 million remaining on his current deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Klay Thompson is owed around $17.5 million next season, but it would be the last remaining year on his bloated contract. That could give Rob Pelinka a way to pay more now, but save money later.
Christian Clark of The Athletic reported on Klay's future: "My understanding is that Thompson would welcome a return to Los Angeles, where he spent part of his childhood and still owns a home."
The money Thompson is set to earn in 2026-27 does not reflect the player who will be suiting up for that price tag. However, as an expiring contract, Klay gives the Lakers someone who can battle for rotational minutes and be off the books by next summer if things to not work out.
A Klay Thompson trade would allow the Lakers to secure crucial savings one year early
Vanderbilt has a $13.3 million player option for the 2027-28 season. That is not a salary the Lakers veteran will find anywhere on the open market, especially with the restrictive reality of the current CBA. Vando has no reason to decline the guaranteed payday on his deal.
That matters a ton too. Vanderbilt's $13.3 million is fully guaranteed on his contract. There is no flat-out waiving it to save half its value, or anything of that sort. The Lakers could waive-and-stretch the deal, but that would keep him as a cap hit for a fair bit longer.
Trading for Thompson puts the Lakers on the hook for about $5 million more in 2026-27, but it does save them over $8 million in the long run.
At best, Los Angeles could even get a rotation-caliber player from Thompson. At worst, the Lakers get a guy who can play spot minutes situationally and be a great mentor for the younger players on the team.
Either way, they will only have to figure out how he fits in with the roster for one year, at least at his current value. If the Lakers want to retain Thompson after 2026-27, they can bring him back at a much smaller contract number than $17.5 million.
Trading for Klay could involve a third team. The Dallas Mavericks are currently over the roster limit, much like the Lakers are. If Pelinka can figure out those details, this could be a workable solution to his Vanderbilt problem.
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