Klay Thompson surprised everyone with his decision to join the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year, $50 million contract. While many are excited to see him play alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, others are disappointed that he didn’t join the Los Angeles Lakers, including his father Mychal Thompson.
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In a telephonic interview with Sirius XM Radio, the Hall of Famer, who spent four seasons with the Lakers and won two titles, revealed he wanted his son to play for the franchise he grew up supporting. He claimed that Klay could’ve followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the 17-time champions.
However, he picked the Mavericks, much to Mychal’s disappointment. Revealing what transpired before Klay made the move, the two-time NBA champion said,
“I was hoping and praying he’d finish his career with the Lakers… He told me the Lakers were talking to him and the Mavs too. Obviously, I tried to sell playing for the Lakers…The franchise has been so good to me and my family, including Klay. He grew up a Lakers fan, idolizing Kobe Bryant like most players his age.”
Mychal claimed that he often spoke to Klay about playing for the Lakers if he ever left the Warriors. He added that the franchise and the roster were a perfect fit for him. However, the veteran went against his father’s wishes, leaving him disappointed. Moreover, analyst Nick Wright was also unhappy to know Klay’s new destination.
Nick Wright blasted GM Pelinka for his failure to acquire Klay Thompson
Blaming the Lakers General Manager for losing out on the SG, on First Things First, the analyst did not hold back in his criticism of Pelinka. He questioned whether he was even fit to be the Lakers’ GM, saying,
“So what does Rob Pelinka do? Like seriously. You have the greatest player ever [LeBron James] saying, ‘Hey I will take less money if you can land someday… The Dallas Mavericks winning bidding war for a player whose dad is your broadcaster! You can’t sign the coach you try to sign. You can’t land Klay. What does he[Pelinka] do?”
While Western Conference teams have been busy, the Lakers have made no moves since free agency commenced. They failed to nab Thompson or make any other significant moves.
The talent pool has gotten significantly thinner and the franchise will now have to rely on teams showing interest in players on their roster to land one of their targets. It’s been tough sledding for the Lakers and Pelinka’s credibility as a general manager has come under the microscope. However, there is still time and fans are eagerly waiting for the Lakers’ front office to make some crucial decision.
