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The Los Angeles Lakers have interest in restricted free agent Isaiah Thomas of the Sacramento Kings, reports Aaron Bruski of NBC Sports. The Kings extended a $1.1 million qualifying offer to Thomas, giving them control over his free agency.
Thomas is an interesting option for the Lakers, who could have drafted the score-first point guard late in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft. He's improved each year in Sacramento, averaging a career-high 20.3 points along with 6.4 assists per game last season.
He's undersized for the position, standing at just 5'9 and 185 lbs, but he's proven to be a dynamic scorer in his time with Sacramento. Thomas is limited on defense and is likely best served in an off-the-bench scorer role, however. Still, point guard has been a sore spot for Los Angeles, and Thomas could be a change-of-pace scoring punch.
The Lakers are said to be approaching free agency carefully. Los Angeles is open to signing a superstar player to a maximum contract but will carefully pick-and-choose any secondary options if they don't land either LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony.
Other teams interested in Thomas include the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons and Dallas Mavericks, according to Bruski.