Rob Pelinka
Getty
Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka in April 2025
There was no shortage of speculation surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the February 5 trade deadline, with general manager Rob Pelinka widely reported to be scouring the market for a young, dependable 3-and-D wing.
There were also murmurs of frontcourt reinforcements, driven by DeAndre Ayton’s inconsistent season, but when the deadline passed, only one move materialised.
Los Angeles acquired sharpshooter Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick.
Kennard is shooting a career-best 49.7% from three-point range this season, providing immediate spacing.
Still, he doesn’t quite fit the profile of the younger, defense-first wing Pelinka was believed to be prioritising.
Lakers Turn Attention to Buyout Market
With the trade window now closed, the buyout market has emerged as the Lakers’ next potential avenue for improvement, particularly with one open roster spot available.
Several notable names have been tipped to hit free agency in recent days, with Lonzo Ball and Mike Conley Jr. previously floated as possible fits in Los Angeles. However, another name has quickly jumped to the forefront.
Silver Screen and Roll’s Edwin Garcia believes Cam Thomas should be firmly on the Lakers’ radar following his surprise release by the Brooklyn Nets at the deadline.
“Moments after the deadline, the Nets made the surprising move of waiving Thomas, making him arguably the top name on the buyout market,” Garcia wrote. “Thomas provides size, youth and scoring ability for the Lakers. He is averaging 15.6 points and 3.1 assists per game.”
“There likely won’t be a better pure scorer on the market and with the Lakers struggling to get production on the bench, it could make sense to sign Thomas.”
ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report Brooklyn’s decision, noting that “the Nets made the decision to allow Thomas to find a new home,” following prolonged uncertainty around his long-term role with the franchise.
A Low-Risk Scoring Boost
Through 239 NBA games and 88 starts since entering the league in 2021-22, Thomas has averaged 15.2 points per game. At just 24-years-old, he stands out as the most accomplished offensive option available on the buyout market.
He is only one season removed from averaging 24.0 points per game in an injury-plagued campaign, and posted 22.5 points across 66 games in 2023-24, narrowly missing his career-high in appearances.
While there are availability concerns, that scoring punch would immediately address a glaring weakness for Los Angeles.
The Lakers currently rank last in the NBA in bench scoring at just 28.0 points per game, a statistic that has consistently hurt them throughout the season.
Pelinka’s restraint at the deadline was closely tied to the Lakers’ longer-term outlook. With more than $55 million in cap space projected for this summer, the front office was unwilling to absorb multi-year salary commitments.
A buyout scenario changes that equation. Thomas would be available on a short-term deal, preserving financial flexibility while offering immediate upside, a classic low-risk, high-reward swing.
With LeBron James widely expected to come off the books and cap room opening up, the Lakers appear to be positioning themselves for a clean summer reset focused on re-signing Austin Reaves and continuing to build around Luka Doncic.
In that context, adding a young, high-level scorer like Thomas could fit neatly into both the present and potentially the future.