Klay Thompson’s time with the Golden State Warriors has ended in a huge paradigm change. He will join the Dallas Mavericks to begin his next adventure. The Western Conference opponents defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the Thompson sweepstakes. Still, Skip Bayless managed to insert LeBron James into the discussion. According to Bayless, Rich Paul was involved in the reports that the Lakers and Thompson were connected.
Klay Thompson
According to the analyst, Paul created this story to demonstrate that the Lakers wouldn’t be able to provide LeBron the support he needs if Thompson didn’t end up joining them.
Skip Bayless finds a way to blast LeBron James for the Klay Thompson deal
He claimed that the stories about him taking a pay reduction were propagated by LBJ’s agent in an effort to show that the Lakers star is a selfless athlete for whom winning is more important than receiving a huge salary. According to the 72-year-old, Paul started the rumors about Thompson in order to paint a positive picture of James.
Furthermore, he thinks that California’s stringent tax laws prevented the Lakers from acquiring Thompson. A contract that would have enticed the sharpshooter could not have been offered. Writer Bayless said on his X,
“LAKER NATION: No way LeBron was going to take less than the max $160 mil for 3 yrs – so no way the Lakers could compete with the Mavs’ offer for Klay (including no state tax). Rich Paul was just blowing PR smoke setting up LBJ as the poor sacrificing superstar who has no help.”
LAKER NATION: No way LeBron was going to take less than the max $160 mil for 3 yrs – so no way the Lakers could compete with the Mavs’ offer for Klay (including no state tax). Rich Paul was just blowing PR smoke setting up LBJ as the poor sacrificing superstar who has no help.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) July 2, 2024
Thus, Bayless managed to drag LBJ into a discussion about the Lakers. LeBron James was reportedly interested in Klay Thompson, despite the fact that his claims are, as usual, ludicrous.
