Klay Thompson surprised the NBA world last week by signing a 3-year, $50 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, ending his 13-year tenure with the Golden State Warriors, where he won four championships. This decision also meant turning down the Los Angeles Lakers, a team he had a personal connection to, given his father’s history with the franchise.
New information has surfaced explaining why Thompson chose Dallas over Los Angeles. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Thompson wanted a “fresh start” and felt that playing for the Lakers would be too similar to playing for the Warriors. LeBron James had multiple in-depth discussions with Thompson about teaming up, but Thompson felt that joining the Lakers would be like “trading one fishbowl for another.”
This reasoning was unexpected, as many believed Thompson chose Dallas because he saw a better chance to win another championship with the defending Western Conference champions, as opposed to a Lakers team focused on building its future around a soon-to-be 40-year-old LeBron James.
Thompson is expected to fit well with Dallas, stepping into the role previously held by Derrick Jones Jr., who signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. Playing alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Thompson should find plenty of open shots and opportunities to contribute.
