Just days ago, one cryptic two-word reply from a Lakers broadcaster set off a wave of speculation that refused to die down. “I’m TRYING,” Mychal Thompson wrote on X after a fan asked him to push for his son’s return to Los Angeles, and now that son – Klay Thompson- appears to be adding fuel to the fire himself.

Thompson, on Monday, posted:

“What my dreams look like on a consistent basis,” the four-time champion wrote on his Instagram story, reacting to a fan-made animated simulation video showing him in a Lakers uniform playing alongside some of the franchise’s greats.

The post arrives amid weeks of growing chatter connecting Thompson to Los Angeles as the Dallas Mavericks look to move on from him before the season starts.

Thompson’s IG activity comes after his father’s public campaign. After a fan tagged Mychal Thompson on X urging him to “get back on it” following reporting from Jake Fischer on the Lakers’ interest, the elder Thompson responded, “I’m TRYING.”

A follow-up exchange got even more direct. A fan wrote that “now that LeBron is not a Laker, you can tell Klay he can join the Lakers franchise as an LA kid,” prompting Mychal to reply, “Ahhhh thank u my frend… It wud be a Dream come true.”

The elder Thompson’s enthusiasm carries some weight, given his own history with the franchise. He won back-to-back championships with the Lakers in 1987 and 1988, the same building Klay grew up around.

Fischer’s report also mentioned why the recruitment has stalled at “trying” rather than “done.”

Dallas has resisted any buyout agreement, prioritizing trade value over sentiment.

“The Mavericks have been very resistant, to my understanding, of actually moving forward,” Fischer said, noting Dallas views Thompson’s expiring $17.4 million contract as a real trade chip for a rebuild built around Cooper Flagg.

Klay Thompson is entering the final season of the three-year, $50 million deal he signed with Dallas in 2024. A contract he chose over a four-year, roughly $80 million offer the Lakers reportedly put on the table at the time.

Last season was a rough one by Thompson’s standards. He averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 69 games, all career lows, while shooting 39.3% from the field.

The Mavericks have already explored the trade market for him without finding a deal, according to The Athletic’s Christian Clark, and both the Lakers and Miami Heat have been reported as serious suitors.

Thompson hasn’t stayed quiet through any of it.

He recently fired back at Kevin Durant after his former Warriors teammate left him off a list of the franchise’s core stars while comparing Philadelphia’s new roster to the 73-win Golden State team the two won a title on together.