Despite significant efforts, the Los Angeles Lakers lost out on Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks. The four-time NBA champion elected to join Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic fresh off of an NBA Finals appearance.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported on the behind-the-scenes of Thompson’s free agency. And ultimately, why the Lakers fell short.
“He had phone conversations with James and new Lakers coach JJ Redick that were all positive, league sources say, with Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka staying in touch with Lawrence, but the allure of the Lakers situation simply didn’t match what the Mavericks had to offer,” Amick wrote on July 3.
Los Angeles finished 47-35 last season. They employ a newly-signed LeBron James and arguably a top-15 player in his prime in Anthony Davis.
It wasn’t enough for Thompson, who likely eyed a chance to help Dallas right their wrongs in the 2023 NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics as an opportunity to add to his legacy.
He ended up with the Mavericks by way of a three-year, $50 million deal and sign-and-trade with the Warriors.
Thompson is coming off of his 12th NBA campaign, all with Golden State. He averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.
Lakers Offered Thompson More Money Than the Mavericks
Amid his reporting on the Lakers pursuit of Thompson, Amick added that their offer was higher than the Mavericks’.
“League sources say a Lakers deal would have been far more lucrative,” Amick added. “With discussions about a four-year, $80 million deal for Thompson if they had been able to convince the Warriors to cooperate in a sign-and-trade that would have sent D’Angelo Russell back to the Warriors (or to a third team).”
All the disrespect Thompson felt from the Warriors in his final months with the team played a part in negotiations. Amick wrote that Dallas won him over in making him feel like their “priority.”
“They met him where he was, both figuratively and literally, respecting his four rings and making it clear that he was their top priority of the offseason,” Amick continued.
Thompson received calls from multiple members of the Lakers’ organization, including James and head of operations Rob Pelinka. But for whatever reason, he didn’t feel like they pulled out all the stops.
Or at the very least, that the Mavericks did. And they did it first, as the first team he met with.
Irving, Thompson Communicated Throughout Negotiations
Another player who ended up in Dallas instead of Los Angeles played a part in Thompson’s spurning of the Lakers.
Irving talked with the 34-year-old guard “routinely,” according to Amick.
“Thompson had talked on the phone and texted routinely with Irving, his old rival from those Warriors-Cavs finals matchups of yesteryear and an expert if ever there was one on the topic of rectifying a career amid a dimmer spotlight in Dallas,” Amick wrote.
The Mavericks’ point guard, as Amick wrote, has revived his career playing second fiddle to Doncic. So his insight was no doubt valuable to Thompson, an aging star looking to do the same.
Factor in a starting job on one of two teams to make last season’s NBA Finals with an organization full of people who helped Thompson feel at home, and there’s little mystery as to how the Lakers’ latest free-agent chase fell short.
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