Four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors is set to hit NBA free agency this coming summer.
While there is an increased expectation that Thompson will return to Golden State and retire with the Warriors, it’s not stopping the future Hall of Famer from being linked to other teams.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, that now includes the Orlando Magic. There is increased chatter that the surprising Magic will attempt to land Thompson on the open market.
Orlando comes out of the All-Star Break at a surprising 30-25 on the season and as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The frontcourt duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have been outstanding.
With that said, there is certainly a need at the two-guard spot in Orlando. Heck, the backcourt as a whole remains a question mark for Orlando with youngsters Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black having struggled big time this season.
Klay Thompson still highly likely to re-sign with Golden State Warriors
Thompson noted recently that he’s willing to take on a decreased role and sign a team-friendly deal in order to retire as a member of the Warriors.
That was always the most likely outcome.
The 34-year-old guard has struggled a great deal this season. He’s averaging 17.3 points on just 42% shooting from the field. It got to the point that Thompson was forced to come off the bench in a recent game against the Utah Jazz. Thompson has also found himself benched during clutch times late in games over the course of the season.
Either way, it’s going to be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out. There is a going to be a market for Thompson in free agency. That’s for sure.