ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic’s season has only just finished, but whispers about potential offseason trades are already flying.
Shams Charania of The Athletic spoke on the potential changes Orlando might make, noting that they could open up over $60 million in salary space to sign free players or make other moves like sign-and-trades.
With the Magic set to enter free agency, Charania connected them with Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson.
“You look at the point guard position but also shooting and scoring on the wing, and one name to keep an eye on [is] Klay Thompson,” Charania added. “I’m told the Magic and Klay Thompson have a mutual interest. Thompson, along with several other veterans around the league, see the Magic as a situation where if you plug in a guy like Klay Thompson [and] plug in another veteran player, whether it’s at the point guard or shooting guard positions, this team can make a real jump around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.”
Thompson, 34, had an up-and-down season and failed to start every game for the first time since his debut year in 2011. He averaged 17.9 points per game, his lowest total since the 2012-13 season, and shot 38.7 percent from three.
Orlando is in desperate need of better shooting and scoring this offseason, having finished 24th in points per game (110.5), 24th in 3-pointer percentage (35.2), 29th in 3-point attempts per game (31.3), and last in 3-pointers made per game (11). Orlando’s offensive struggles were on plain display in their 4-3 series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, as they failed to score 100 points three times and went 0-3 in those games.
Thompson, who has won four championships with the Warriors, may be a good fit not only because of his shooting skills, but also because of his experience. That championship legacy could be critical for a young club attempting to transition from a playoff team to a legitimate Eastern Conference contender.
At the end of the day, it will all come down to fit, price, and options for Thompson and Orlando, but if Thompson still sees himself as a starter on a contender and the Magic’s brass agrees, it will be difficult for another team to outbid them and provide a better situation for him and other veteran free agents.
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