Will Klay Thompson leave the Golden State Warriors this upcoming offseason? This seems to be the question everyone is asking regarding the four-time champion as he prepares to enter free agency. Thompson will be one of the more notable players available this summer, and the Orlando Magic are prepared to pursue him. In fact, Thompson and the Magic have “mutual interest” in one another, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
“The Magic can open up an excess of sixty million dollars in cap space this offseason,” Charania said on FanDuel's Run It Back. One name to keep an eye on, Klay Thompson, I'm told there is mutual interest between the Magic and Klay Thompson. Thompson, along with several other vets around the league, are looking at the Magic as a situation where you plug in a guy like Klay Thompson, you plug in another veteran player whether it be at the point guard position, shooting guard position; this team can make a real jump around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.”
The Magic have long been named a potential suitor for Thompson, dating back to before the start of the NBA Playoffs. In addition to having the cap space to bring in a player like Thompson, the Magic proved during the postseason that they are just a piece or two away from being legitimate threats at the top of the Eastern Conference. A player like Thompson, who is one of the best three-point shooters in the league, fits what this team is lacking.
Of course, a decision for Thompson to leave the Warriors is not going to be an easy one to make. As of right now, there are no indications pointing towards Klay leaving Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, his two best friends that he has spent his entire career with. This Warriors core has won four championships together, and the organization as a whole is still of the belief that they can win more titles together. While he may be seriously open to exploring his marketplace in free agency, Thompson leaving the Warriors still seems like a dream more than a potential reality.
Potential offseason targets for Magic
Aside from pursuing Klay Thompson, the Magic could have several other targets as they enter a critical offseason. When free agency begins, the biggest names on the market, besides Thompson, could include Paul George, LeBron James, James Harden, and Pascal Siakam. While the Magic landing LeBron is nothing more than a dream for their fans, George is a realistic target. Orlando is expected to have an interest in George should he not agree to an extension with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Tyus Jones, Buddy Hield, and Gary Trent Jr. are all free agents who the Magic could also pursue should they strike out on landing an All-Star-level talent. Sixth Man of the Year candidate Malik Monk is another player who could provide immediate value in Orlando at the shooting guard position.
In the trade market, Anfernee Simons, Dejounte Murray, and D'Angelo Russell are three guards for the Magic to consider. Whether or not the Magic would be willing to pay a hefty price for any player in a potential trade is unknown at this time.
The fact of the matter is that the Magic are going to do everything they can to try and improve their immediate playoff outlook during the playoffs. After taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first round of the playoffs, this young team has proven that they are on the verge of becoming something special. One added player, whether it is Thompson or someone else, could positively change the future of this franchise for many years to come.
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