Mychal Thompson on Son Klay's Free Agency Decisions: 'None!'

Klay Thompson's decision to sign a two-year, $11.5 million deal with the Miami Heat earlier this week, rather than joining the Los Angeles Lakers, has been a point of discussion for his father, longtime Lakers star Mychal Thompson.

Mychal Thompson, who has served as a Lakers radio color commentator for over two decades, openly expressed his desire for his son to play for the Lakers, particularly during his free agency periods. "I wanted him to be [on the] Lakers. I thought the Lakers would be perfect for him the last three years," Mychal said during an appearance on the "Locked On Heat" podcast.

He believed Klay would have been an ideal fit with the Lakers, noting the team's need for outside shooting to complement players like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves. "I thought he’d be perfect at the time to team up with LeBron and Anthony Davis to provide that outside shooting, along with Austin Reeves, that we needed," Mychal explained.

However, Mychal acknowledged that his influence on his son's career choices is minimal. "What kind of influence do I have on [Klay’s] opinion? Isn’t it obvious? None!" he stated.

Mychal Thompson humorously speculated on one reason his son might avoid playing for the Lakers. "The only thing I could figure out is, since I work for the Lakers, and I travel with the Lakers, I guess he just don’t want to be on the road with me, in [the] hotel," he said. "He don’t want me knocking on his door to be checking on curfew, make sure he’s there. So I guess that’s why [he] figured, ‘I’m not going there to have my dad follow me on the road!'"

Thompson's move to Miami places him on a retooled Heat team that recently acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. This move follows Klay Thompson's departure from the Golden State Warriors after a 13-season tenure. Previously, in 2024, he signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks as a free agent, reportedly choosing them over a larger offer from the Lakers because he perceived a clearer path to a championship.