Real Reason Klay Thompson Chose Mavericks Over Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers made a very strong play to add Klay Thompson this summer.

LeBron James personally made a pitch to Thompson and offered to take a pay cut if he came to town.

L.A. offered Thompson four years and $80 million.

And Thompson’s own dad, a former Lakers player, emphatically and publicly said that he would love to see his boy in purple and gold.

Despite all this – Thompson linked up with the Dallas Mavericks for three years and $50 million.

Fresh off his relationship with Stephen Curry deteriorating, Thompson was looking for something new.

Obviously money wasn’t Thompson’s main motivator here. Nor was the opportunity to play with arguably the greatest player of all time in LeBron James.

So what was Thompson’s primary mover?

According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, he was impressed by how good the Mavericks looked last year.

“Thompson had watched the Mavericks’ NBA Finals run and told those close to him how he envisioned fitting in, creating space for Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving on the offensive end while bringing his championship credentials to their rising program,” Amick wrote.

In addition to that, according to Rashad McCants, Thompson wanted no part of the media circus that perPetually surrounds the Lakers.

“Why didn’t Klay Thompson pick the Lakers?” McCants said.

“Why didn’t he even consider them? I’ll ask him, but I don’t have to. I know the answer. I know the answer: I’m cool on that circus over there. I’m cool.”

Thompson determined that for a variety of reasons, the Mavericks presented a more palatable situation for him than the Lakers.

Will Thompson’s decision end up getting validated this season? Time will tell.

Anthony Amador

A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school Games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.