The Los Angeles Lakers were relatively silent at the trade deadline. The only move they made was sending Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Gabe Vincent.
Kennard averaged 7.9 points in 46 games off the bench for Atlanta. He also shot 49.7% from deep, giving the Lakers an extra scoring boost and long-range threat in the second unit.
While the Lakers didn't make a franchise-altering trade, though, that doesn't mean they can no longer get more help for Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. In fact, a player who can address their scoring needs off the bench has just become available.
Cam Thomas, who averaged 24 points on 43.8% shooting in 2024-25, has been released by the Brooklyn Nets after they failed to trade him. He put up 15.6 points on 39.9% shooting in 24 games (eight starts) this season after missing 20 games due to a hamstring injury.
Thomas is now a free agent and can sign with any team, although it remains to be seen if he's looking for a starting role or willing to accept a bench role.
"Super excited ready to actually help and contribute to another team," Thomas said, per ESPN. "My next team is getting elite scoring, good playmaking and a good combo guard."
Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Lakers Need Cam Thomas to Address Major Concern
At the time of writing, the Lakers boast a 30-19 record for the sixth seed in the Western Conference. They are only three-and-a-half games behind the San Antonio Spurs for the second seed.
However, they have been largely carried by the trio of Doncic, Reaves and James. The trio accounts for 81.5 of the 116.3 points they average per game this campaign.
The biggest problem for the Lakers is their bench scoring. Their second unit has the worst offense in the NBA, putting up just 27.3 points per game. L.A. and the Houston Rockets are the only teams whose bench units don't average more than 30 points a game.
Thomas would give the Lakers a player who can create his own shot and alleviate their bench scoring problems, thereby lessening the burden on Doncic, James and Reaves.
It remains to be seen if Thomas will want to go to the Lakers and if the Purple and Gold will chase after him. Thomas is expected to garner significant interest in the buyout market, especially from other contenders looking for an extra scoring punch.