Klay Thompson, a four-time NBA champion and free agent, is taking a pay cut to join the Dallas Mavericks. Thompson and Dallas reached a three-year, $50 million agreement on Monday, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Other teams offered Thompson four-year contracts worth more money, but the five-time All-Star chose to sign with the Mavericks in the hopes of winning a fifth title. Thompson made his choice in part because Texas does not impose a state income tax. In free agency, Thompson was also being pursued by the Los Angeles Lakers.
At the Bottle Inn in Hermosa Beach, California, on Sunday night, Thompson and his agency, Wasserman Basketball’s Greg Lawrence, met with executives of the Mavericks, including general manager Nico Harrison and vice president of basketball operations Michael Finley. Meeting Thompson proved to be beneficial.
According to Marc Stein, Kyrie Irving also had an influence on Thompson. Former colleagues on Team USA, Irving joined the Mavericks in their attempt to sign Thompson in order to counter the Lakers’ pitch and LeBron James’ sway.
In a multiteam deal between the Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets, Thompson, 34, will join the Mavericks. Dallas is sending four-year veteran wing Josh Green to Charlotte in exchange for two second-round draft selections; the sides are still ironing out the specifics of the deal. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the terms of the trade have not yet been finalized about what the Warriors would receive.
Less than a day has passed since the Mavericks inked forward Naji Marshall to a three-year, $27 million contract, trying to offset the loss of forward Derrick Jones Jr. Dallas was hard-capped at the first round by signing Marshall, but the Mavericks are still below it after dealing for Green, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
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