When it comes to making his free agency decision, Klay Thompson has reportedly narrowed his options down to two teams: the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers.
His father, Michael Thompson, was a longtime Lakers player and announcer and had some pretty definite preferences, so it was no surprise that he was unhappy when Klay chose the Mavericks instead.
During his introductory press conference in Dallas on Tuesday, Klay spoke about his father's reaction to his NBA free agency decision.
“Yeah, he was disappointed. I haven't really talked to him about it,” Thompson told reporters. “At the end of the day, he was happy for me.”
Michael didn't seem to pay much attention to his son, but Clay undoubtedly knew where his father stood on the matter.
“My dad was a little selfish with his business interests because he wanted me to stay home with my family,” Clay joked. “I was like, 'Dad, I've been in California my whole life, so I get to experience new things.'”
Though a light-hearted anecdote, the quote offers some important insight into Thompson's decision-making process, and it's clear that a change of scenery was paramount when it came to choosing his next team.
“My dad understood and he was really happy for me,” Thompson said more seriously about his father's reaction. “He sees an opportunity to do something special here, not just this year but for years to come. So once the dust settled he was all for it and realized it was a match made in heaven.”
In the end, Klay appears to have convinced his father that he made the right decision, but Michael and many Lakers fans can't help but wonder if Thompson would have followed in his father's footsteps and come to Los Angeles.
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