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LeBron James Involvement Leads to Klay Thompson’s Contract Talks With Golden State Warriors Falling Through: Report
LeBron James' recent involvement has reportedly disrupted contract talks between Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors. Read to know further!
As soon as NBA free agency kicked off, the LA Lakers swiftly targeted Klay Thompson, a former Golden State Warriors superstar. LeBron James even reached out to Thompson personally, aiming to bring him on board.
Thompson accepted an offer from the Dallas Mavericks as part of a three-team sign-and-trade deal. Then on Wednesday, ESPN journalists Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews revealed a detailed report on the circumstances surrounding Thompson's departure from the Warriors at 34.
In essence, sources claim that LeBron's intervention largely influenced the collapse of Thompson's contract talks with the Golden State Warriors.
LeBron James' impact on Klay Thompson's contract negotiations with the Warriors
Reports indicate that Thompson's dissatisfaction with Golden State originated from the team's repeated delays in contract discussions as they pursued high-profile players like James.
The report stated, "Thompson's agents had proposed a minimum of four contracts to the team by this off-season. Each time, during the season, the Warriors asked Thompson and his team to hold on while the franchise explored enhancing the team through other deals. Most notably, sources state, the Warriors attempted trades for LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, Mikal of the Brooklyn Nets, Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers, and Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz.”
James, a trade target for Golden State before the deadline, inked a two-year, mega $104 million contract with the Lakers on Wednesday. This contract encompasses a player's option, and a no-trade clause, and allows James to play with his son, Bronny James. Bronny has also signed his inaugural NBA contract following his selection in the 2nd round of this year's NBA Draft.
NBA offseason impact on Warriors and Lakers' championship prospects
Mikal Bridges is now a New York Knicks player after his trade last week, while George has officially become a 76er and Markkanen is still up for grabs. Nevertheless, the possibility of him being traded seems slim due to the Warriors' hesitance to let go of Jonathan Kuminga.
For the Warriors and Lakers to boost their chances at the championship, they either need to significantly strengthen their lineups or hope for a major comeback from their marquee players. However, current predictions indicate that both teams are not the favorite contenders for the 2025 NBA title.
It's crucial to remember that NBA future odds are susceptible to major shifts depending on offseason actions, trades, and player growth. Consequently, these odds may vary as we get closer to the 2024-25 season.
ALSO READ: Report: Warriors To Acquire Buddy Hield in Sign-and-Trade With Sixers
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