Getty Kobe Bryant and Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson.
Los Angeles Lakers legend Mychal Thompson was disappointed his son, Klay Thompson, did not heed his advice and instead forged his own path, choosing the Dallas Mavericks over their hometown team.
“I’m not feeling too much in a congratulatory mood right now,” Mychal said on NBA Radio on July 2.
The elder Thompson, who won two NBA championships while playing for the “Showtime” Lakers from 1987 to 1991, sold the idea to his son to retire as a Laker.
“Obviously, it was the right thing for me to do,” Mychal said. “I felt like it was the correct thing for me to do because I really believe in this franchise and [the Lakers] have been so good to me and my family, including Klay.
He grew up a Lakers fan. He grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant like most kids his age, so I just thought it seemed like it’d be the perfect fit for him to finally come back home because we always talked about him playing for the Lakers if he was not a Golden State Warrior. When the chance came, he chose the Mavericks instead.”
Klay’s decision was based on which team would maximize his remaining window to earn money and win another championship, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“The Lakers were extremely intriguing to Thompson, but the financial savings from living in Texas over California and the fact that the Mavericks came within three victories of an NBA championship were big factors in his decision, sources said,” Wojnarowski wrote on July 1.
Despite Mychal’s disappointment, he respected his son’s decision.
“I have I live with it,” said Mychal, who serves as a radio analyst for the Lakers game. “I accept it. And I’m happy for him that he’s happy with this decision.”
“I’m not feeling too much in a congratulatory mood.”
Mychal Thompson had hopes that his son, Klay Thompson, would join the Lakers.
Lakers Offered More Money than Mavericks
Lakers Daily’s Anthony Irwin reported on his “Lakers Lounge” podcast that the team offered Thompson a deal “in the ballpark of $80 million over four years” which Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes corroborated later in the day.
“I was told the Lakers made a pretty compelling offer,” Haynes reported. “It was around a three, four-year mark, somewhere along the lines of $20 million per [year], and they didn’t get their guy.”
The problem, however, is the Warriors did not agree to take back salary in a sign-and-trade with the Lakers.
“I was told that it would have likely involved D’Angelo Russell being a part of a deal to get Klay,” Haynes said. “From what I was told, the Warriors weren’t interested in bringing back D’Angelo Russell. Remember, D’Angelo had that one-year stint with them a few years ago. So … that just wasn’t feasible for the Warriors.”
The Warriors received two future second-round picks and a trade exception by sending Klay to the Mavericks, instead of the Lakers.
Lakers in Trade Talks With 3 Teams
After missing out on their top 3 targets — Klay, James Harden and Jonas Valanciunas — the Lakers have been in contact with three teams for potential trades, according to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha.
“It’s too early to write the Lakers off, of course. There’s always a chance they pull a rabbit out of a hat with a trade or signing. They have been active in recent days, discussing potential deals with Portland, Brooklyn and Utah, among other teams, according to league and team sources,” Buha wrote on July 2.
The Lakers have also reached out to DeMar DeRozan‘s agent, according to Haynes. But the Lakers are facing a similar holdup which they faced in their Klay pursuit, according to Buha.
“Similar to the Thompson sign-and-trade discussions, one of the current holdups in a potential DeRozan deal is what the Bulls would be receiving from the Lakers, according to league sources,” Buha wrote.