Gilbert Arenas Says Dan Hurley And Klay Thompson Used Lakers To Boost Their Financial Status

Gilbert Arenas revealed on 'Gil's Arena' that Klay Thompson and Dan Hurley used the Lakers' name to secure lucrative contracts elsewhere, despite no substantial offers.

4 Min Read

Credit: Fadeaway World

Gilbert Arenas recently discussed how Klay Thompson and Dan Hurley used the Lakers’ name to secure lucrative contracts elsewhere on his show, ‘Gil’s Arena’. Arenas dismissed rumors that the Lakers had offered substantial contracts to both Thompson and Hurley, suggesting that both used the Lakers’ brand to boost their market value. During the podcast, Arenas emphatically denied reports of an $80 million offer to Thompson and a $70 million offer to Hurley.  

“We didn’t offer nobody no 80 million, dog. Stop listening to Woj and them. We didn’t offer him no 80 million. We didn’t offer that damn coach no 70 million, man. Y’all crazy. This is crazy talk.”

“We, the Lakers, man, you use our name to get famous. That’s what they use. They use the Laker brand to boost up their financial status and other teams. We did not offer these people that kind of money. Are you crazy?” 

“We cheat. We cheat, baby. We got Zach LaVine.”

Arenas’ comments highlight the potential leverage Thompson and Hurley gained by associating with the Lakers, despite no concrete offers being made. This tactic of using a high-profile team to increase one’s market value is not uncommon in professional sports.

Dan Hurley, the head coach of UConn, reportedly received a six-year, $70 million offer from the Lakers but opted to stay with the Huskies. Similarly, Klay Thompson chose to sign with the Dallas Mavericks despite a rumored four-year, $80 million offer from the Lakers. However, Arenas believes these offers were never on the table and were instead used to enhance their negotiation positions with their respective teams.

This maneuvering has led to significant reputation damage for the Lakers. The perception that they failed to land key targets like Hurley and Thompson can impact their standing in the league and among fans. LeBron James and the Lakers front office now face the challenge of addressing these perceived failures while building a competitive roster for the upcoming season.

Interestingly, Arenas hinted at the possibility of Zach LaVine coming to the Lakers. However, reports suggest that no such deal is currently in the works. LaVine is in the third year of his $215 million contract, and no team reportedly wants him due to his massive salary and injury history. Even if the Bulls include a first-round pick in a potential deal, teams are unlikely to take on LaVine under the current circumstances.

In the broader context of NBA negotiations, Arenas’ comments shed light on the complexities and strategies behind contract discussions. While leveraging a high-profile team’s interest can be an effective negotiation tactic, it also carries the risk of damaging relationships and reputations. For the Lakers, the task now is to move forward, rebuild trust, and focus on their roster’s future.

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support. 

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
Follow:
Vishwesha Kumar is a staff writer for Fadeaway World from Bengaluru, India. Graduating with a Bachelor of Technology from PES University in 2020, Vishwesha leverages his analytical skills to enhance his sports journalism, particularly in basketball. His experience includes writing over 3000 articles across respected publications such as Essentially Sports and Sportskeeda, which have established him as a prolific figure in the sports writing community.Vishwesha’s love for basketball was ignited by watching LeBron James, inspiring him to delve deeply into the nuances of the game. This personal passion translates into his writing, allowing him to connect with readers through relatable narratives and insightful analyses. He holds a unique and controversial opinion that Russell Westbrook is often underrated rather than overrated. Despite Westbrook's flaws, Vishwesha believes that his triple-double achievements and relentless athleticism are often downplayed, making him one of the most unique and electrifying players in NBA history, even if his style of play can sometimes be polarizing. 
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *