The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to bounce back after a disappointing season that ended with a first-round playoff exit. To strengthen their roster and create a championship-caliber team, Lakers star LeBron James reached out to Klay Thompson, hoping to add the sharpshooter to the lineup.
However, despite their efforts, the Lakers were unsuccessful, as Thompson chose to sign with the Dallas Mavericks instead. In a recent episode of the Locked On Lakers podcast, NBA insider Andy Kamenetzky revealed just how far the Lakers were willing to go to secure Thompson.
“I know the Lakers attempted to really overpay Klay Thompson pretty badly, it just didn’t work out,” Kamenetzky said.
Ultimately, Thompson signed a three-year, $50 million deal with the Mavericks through a sign-and-trade. Reports suggest that the Lakers were prepared to offer Thompson a more lucrative four-year, $80 million contract. But he opted to join Dallas instead.
The Mavericks, who have the dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, are coming off a season where they reached the NBA Finals for the first time in 13 years. With a roster that already demonstrated deep playoff potential, Thompson likely felt that joining the Mavericks would give him a better chance at another championship compared to the Lakers.
Klay Thompson Misses Playing Alongside Stephen Curry After Move to Dallas
Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, known as the “Splash Brothers,” have created countless memories together on the court. However, with Thompson’s recent move to the Dallas Mavericks, he’s finding it difficult to adjust without his longtime teammate by his side.
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In a recent episode of the “Raising Fame” podcast, Thompson’s father, Mychal Thompson, opened up about how much Klay cherished playing alongside Curry.
“See, he said it to me in private, and he loves playing with Steph. He wants to retire as a Warrior. Not in another 10 years. He wants to go on to the Hall of Fame along with Steph,” Mychal said.
“That’s how close he feels to him and how honored he is to play with him. They’ve really formed a special bond. And so, that’s why I told him, I said that even though you are probably going to miss this year,” he added.
Thompson and Curry began their journey together in 2011. Over the course of 13 seasons, the duo led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA titles.
Also Read: Jason Kidd Speaks About Kyrie Irving’s Crucial Role In Recruitment Of Klay Thompson To The Dallas Mavericks.
