Lakers' bold gamble made Klay Thompson's choice to join Mavericks even easier

The NBA offseason talks have hit the backburner due to the NBA Summer League going on over the last week, but the Dallas Mavericks' mammoth effort to get better this summer must not be overlooked.

Dallas immediately got better by trading for Quentin Grimes and signing Naji Marshall, and they formed an outstanding big three by making a sign-and-trade for Klay Thompson. The Mavs desperately needed more shooting after their NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics, and they addressed that need by adding one of the best to ever do it in Thompson.

Thompson is ecstatic to be a Maverick and is eager for a fresh start, and one of the biggest storylines from his free agency is how he chose the Mavs over the Los Angeles Lakers even though they offered him more money and more years on his contract while Dallas did.

Lakers' refusal to offer starting spot to Klay Thompson benefitted Mavericks

One focus of Thompson's free agency was how he would be a guaranteed starter in Dallas, and according to Lakers insider Anthony Irwin, Los Angeles didn't promise a starting spot to Thompson.

This was a gamble by Los Angeles considering Thompson's championship pedigree and history, and it may have made Thompson sour on them.

Thompson obviously still wants to be a high-level starter at this point in his career, and the Lakers' decision to not guarantee him a starting spot like the Mavs did likely made his decision to join Dallas much easier.

Thompson going from the Golden State Warriors to the Lakers would likely have been an extremely similar environment, and not starting on top of that would be a tough scene for him. He still seems to believe that he is the same player that he once was, and the Lakers' choice to not start Thompson could have put them out of the race.

The Mavs are prioritizing Thompson, and he is going to help them tremendously. They are going to find different ways to get him involved in the offense other than him just being a spot-up shooter, and Dallas truly is the perfect spot for him.

Kyrie Irving's recruiting was the cherry on top of getting Thompson to Dallas, and he and Luka Doncic have "mutual respect" as well. Thompson lost some of his joy for the game last season while playing for the Warriors, and hopefully, some of that joy can come back as he will be the starting three for the Mavs.

The Lakers may regret not promising Thompson that starting spot, and now they'll have to play him a couple of times a year and potentially in the playoffs.

For all the latest on Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks, stay plugged in with us.