Report: LeBron called Klay right away when NBA free agency officially started originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
LeBron James seems to do that Real want Klay Thompson to join the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Warriors’ star, who entered the NBA as a free agent on Sunday, received a call from James right as the open negotiating period began at 3 p.m. PT, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported a few hours later on “SportsCenter” (with thanks to Real GM).
“[Thompson]”His agent Greg Lawrence at Wasserman is talking to a number of teams, including the Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks,” Wojnarowski said Sunday. “They had conversations tonight. I’m told LeBron James called Klay Thompson when free agency opened at 6 p.m. [ET] – reached out and spoke with Klay Thompson.
“The expectation I have now is these conversations, these negotiations will happen tomorrow. There probably won’t be a resolution tonight, but certainly Dallas, the Lakers, the [Los Angeles] Clippers are working to be involved. Those are the prominent teams for Klay Thompson, whose career will take place somewhere other than Golden State once this free-agency period is over.”
“I’m told that LeBron James called Klay Thompson when free agency opened… These conversations, these negotiations will happen tomorrow. There probably won’t be a resolution tonight.”
ESPN’s Woj on LeBron James recruiting Klay to the Lakers 👀photo.twitter.com/9EXQdg4HBF
— Link Points (@Link Points) July 1, 2024
While multiple teams are reportedly interested in Thompson, only one team has The King recruiting for them. And James is reportedly very confident that the four-time NBA champion will bring his talents from the Bay to SoCal.
But according to Wojnarowski, Thompson has a full list of conversations with other teams.
Klay Thompson plans to hold talks with the Mavericks, Lakers, Clippers and 76ers during the early hours of free agency, sources told ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2024
James, who will become an unrestricted free agent after opting out of his $51.4 million contract for the 2024-25 NBA season, is looking to re-sign with LA – possibly at a discounted price to land an “impact player” pick up, his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, told ESPN on Saturday.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported Saturday, citing sources, that one of the players James is willing to take a pay cut for is Thompson, and it appears he will be leaving Golden State.
Could the lure of Thompson’s hometown—he was born in LA—be enough to persuade him to sign with the Lakers, for whom his father, Mychal, once played? It will likely play a big role in his ultimate decision, and there’s certainly some appeal in joining one of the NBA’s greatest players of all time.
And if all that wasn’t enough, James reportedly made sure to do his part with a simple phone call.
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