The biggest concern surrounding a potential Los Angeles Lakers pursuit isn’t whether Klay Thompson can still contribute. It’s whether he fits the franchise’s long-term vision. His age alone raises questions for the Purple and Gold franchise that has spent the offseason getting younger around Luka Doncic.

According to a recent report from The Athletic, “Thompson would welcome a return to Los Angeles, where he spent part of his childhood and still owns a home.” The prospect of Thompson teaming up with Luka Doncic again has generated plenty of excitement, but Lakers analyst Trevor Lane isn’t completely sold on the idea.

“Now Klay is up there in years, going into his age-36 season. That’s going to be a concern for the Lakers,” Lane said on the Lakers Nation YouTube channel. “To be honest, even though Klay has interest in L.A., I really, really question this report saying that Klay would have interest in Los Angeles. I question whether Los Angeles would have interest in Klay.

“It’s not that I don’t think Klay Thompson could be a fit for the Lakers. I think he could be. But it’s the opposite of everything they’ve been doing this summer.”

The Lakers have made a clear effort to build a younger roster around Doncic. Instead of pursuing veterans in their 30s, the front office has focused on players in their mid-20s who can continue developing alongside their franchise star.

Lane pointed out that Kevon Looney is currently the oldest player on the roster at 30 years old and is expected to serve in a reserve role.

Because of that approach, Klay Thompson’s age may be the biggest obstacle to a potential reunion. The biggest concern isn’t Thompson’s shooting. It’s his defense.

The 5x NBA All-Star previously guarded opposing All-Star wings while simultaneously providing elite three-point shooting on the other end. But suffering devastating ACL and Achilles injuries that sidelined him for two full seasons, he is no longer the player coaches assign to shut down the opponent’s best wing scorer every night.

That defensive responsibility is precisely what the Lakers need to address. With Doncic carrying such a massive offensive workload, Los Angeles cannot expect him to consistently guard the opposing team’s top perimeter threat.

Offensively, there is little doubt he would fit. His ability to stretch defenses would create additional driving lanes for Doncic while punishing teams that collapse into the paint. Even at this stage of his career, Thompson shot 38.3% from beyond the arc last year and still averaged more than seven 3-point attempts per game.

Klay Thompson is entering the final year of the three-year deal he signed with Dallas in 2024 and will earn $17.5 million this season. Lane noted that if Thompson were available on a veteran minimum contract following a buyout, the risk would be relatively small.