NBA Rumors: Warriors’ Klay Thompson ‘Increasingly’ Linked to Magic Ahead of FA

NBA Rumors: Warriors’ Klay Thompson ‘Increasingly’ Linked to Magic Ahead of FA

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - FEBRUARY 15: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates a three point shot during the second half of a game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center on February 15, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

The Orlando Magic have been “increasingly mentioned as a potential suitor” for Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson in free agency, per longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein.

Stein did make it clear, however, that he believes Thompson will “retire a Warrior” and that the five-time All-Star “will ultimately find common ground with Golden State” on a new contract.

Thompson, an impending free agent, is in his 13th NBA season. The 34-year-old has averaged 17.3 points per game.

It’s been a tough year for Thompson, whose shooting numbers (42.1 percent field goal, 37.3 percent from three) stand as career-worst marks. He was moved to the bench right before the All-Star break, but he responded with 35 points (7-of-13 from three) in a 140-137 win over the Utah Jazz.

Perhaps a second-half surge is in the cards for Thompson, who is sure to draw interest from teams despite his shooting slump.

The Magic are a good fit if a deal with the Warriors doesn’t work out. Orlando is a team on the rise led by young stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, sitting with a 30-25 record at the moment.

But the Magic clearly need more help, particularly from behind the three-point line. Orlando is second-last in the Eastern Conference in three-point percentage (34.8 percent). It’s hard seeing the Magic becoming a legit title contender without improving that mark, so Thompson would certainly fit well.

That being said, Thompson is a Warriors legend, and the first option appears to be Golden State. He even told The Ringer’s Logan Murdock that he’s willing to accept a reduced role in town to re-sign with the team: “Yeah, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I’ll be 35 next year. At 35, coming off the ACL and an Achilles [tear] and still have the ability to be a really good player. Maybe not the guy who scored 60 in three quarters and scored an NBA record 37 points in a quarter, but still a great threat out there. I’ve modeled my game after Reggie [Miller] and Ray [Allen], and those guys were incredibly effective until their late 30s. So I plan on kind of following that mold.”

We’ll see what happens this summer, but for now, Thompson and the Warriors are in a fight for the playoffs. At 27-26, they sit just 10th in the Western Conference, although an encouraging 8-2 stretch leading into the break brings hope that the team can continue a good run here.

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