Klay Thompson’s decision to join the Dallas Mavericks has caused mixed feelings within the Thompson family.
His father, Mychal Thompson, a former Lakers star and current radio analyst, had hoped for his son to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency instead.
“I’m really disappointed,” he expressed on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Tuesday. “I was hoping, as you can understand, that he would choose the Lakers. It was a close call between the Lakers and the Mavs, but ultimately, the Mavs won. Personally, I was hoping and praying he would finish his career with the Lakers.”
Thompson recently signed a three-year, $50 million deal with the Mavericks, marking the end of his successful tenure with the Golden State Warriors. The 34-year-old, drafted by the Warriors in 2011, contributed significantly to the team’s four championships and the dynasty led by Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
Last season, Thompson averaged 17.9 points while shooting 38.7% from three-point range. It was his lowest scoring average since 2012-13, and only the second time in his career that he shot below 40% from behind the arc.
Thompson had to choose between the Lakers and the Mavericks in free agency. He will now be joining forces with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving in Dallas, following their recent NBA Finals appearance. Mychal, who won two championships with the Lakers from 1987-91, made an effort to sway his son towards the Lakers due to their shared admiration for Kobe Bryant.
“We always discussed the possibility of him playing for the Lakers,” Mychal revealed. “If he couldn’t be a Warrior, where else would he want to play? Given his admiration for Kobe, playing for the Lakers would have been a dream.”
“However, when the opportunity arose, he chose the Mavericks. I respect his decision and am happy that he is content with it. Naturally, I tried to sway him towards the Lakers, but ultimately, he made his choice,” Mychal reflected.