Lakers to reunite Tristan Thompson with LeBron James; add Shaq Harrison for playoffs
It appears the Los Angeles Lakers are gearing up for a playoff run by making some additions. The team announced the signing of LeBron James' former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate, Tristan Thompson, and Shaquille Harrison to complete its roster and provide some backcourt depth.
Harrison, 29, is a point guard with notable defensive skill. His 10-day contract with the Portland Trail Blazers expired Sunday, shortly after he recorded 13 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals in the team's 136-125 loss to the Clippers on Saturday. Before his brief tenure in Portland, Harrison played for the South Bay Lakers, the NBA team's G League affiliate.
Thompson has never been involved with the Lakers, but has a solid postseason record, in addition to his history with James. He has appeared in 88 playoff games during his career and made four consecutive Finals appearances with James and the Cavaliers between 2015-18.
When the Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors for the franchise's first championship in 2016, Thompson averaged 10.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1 block per game as Cleveland came back from a 3-1 deficit. He also scored 15-points on 6-for-6 shooting and pulled down 16 rebounds in a clutch Game 6 performance in that series.
The 32-year-old has not played this season. He went unsigned in free agency made some appearances on ESPN's "NBA Today" while working out in preparation for a comeback.
Last season, he made appearances for the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls, averaging 6 points and 5.1 rebounds on 52.8% shooting in 57 games.
Rumors connecting the Lakers to Thompson began in March when the team worked out centers after dealing with various injured players. On Warriors veteran Draymond Green's podcast, Thompson said James mentioned he was reminded of their old playing days while watching him work out.
The Lakers (42-39) sit at No. 7 in the Western Conference headed into the regular season finale on Sunday. With a win over the Utah Jazz and other losses, the team could move up and avoid the play-in tournament.
