As Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr considers what the end of their dynasty could look like, one core player is already window shopping, eyeing what could be his new home.
On Monday morning, The Athletic’s Shams Charania made his usual appearance on Run It Back, dropping a bombshell on the co-hosts in a way that only few can.
Klay Thompson Eyeing Orlando Magic?
“I’m told there is mutual interest between the (Orlando) Magic and Klay Thompson,” Charania reports.
“The Magic can open up an excess of sixty million dollars in cap space this off season…One name to keep an eye on, Klay Thompson, I’m told there is mutual interest between the Magic and Klay Thompson.”@ShamsCharania on the Magic’s future plans.
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— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 6, 2024
“Thompson —along with several other vets around the league —are looking at the Magic as a situation where if you plug in a guy like Klay Thompson, you plug in another veteran player – whether it be at the point guard position (or) the shooting guard position – this team can make a real jump around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner,” he continues.
No Surprise Here
The Magic have been linked to Thompson for months. With deep pockets, a superb defense, and a need for a first-rate shooter, it’s only natural. Though he’s 34 years old and no longer in his prime, Thompson is a transcendent 3-point threat.
Over the course of his 11-year career, Thompson has made 41.3 percent of his 3s. In the three seasons since sustaining two consecutive major lower body injuries, he’s hit 39.7 percent of his 3s. Thompson ranks seventh among active players in career 3-point percentage and 20th all-time. He ranks fourth among active players in career 3-pointers (2,481). He also ranks fourth all-time in career 3s (playoffs included) with 2,982. When factoring in both his efficiency and proficiency, the only active player who is a better 3-point shooter is Stephen Curry himself.
If comparing him to the best 3-point threats of all-time, he bears some similarities to Hall of Fame shooting guard Ray Allen. That said, Thompson can become the Allen to Banchero’s Paul Pierce or LeBron James. Like Pierce or James, Banchero’s rise to stardom is as much about his scoring punch as his playmaking and poise. One of four players in franchise history to make their All-Star debut before turning 22 years old, Banchero has proven himself to be an MVP-caliber player.
In his playoff debut, Banchero went toe-to-toe with five-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell in a hard-fought seven-game series. With his versatility, physicality, and willpower, he averaged 27.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He shot 45.6 percent shooting from the field and 40.0 percent from 3. What is that if not the type of player that could win MVP one day?
That said, while Banchero was on point from beyond the arc, many of his teammates weren’t. The Magic shot just 30.9 percent from 3 in the First Round. Aside from Banchero, Jonathan Isaac was the only other rotation player to shoot above league-average from 3. Notably, Isaac will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
A Personal Tour Guide
Again, there’s no question about why Orlando has interest in Thompson. That’s without even getting into his championship experience and the lessons that he can impart. However, now that it’s been mentioned, Thompson’s intangibles are invaluable. There are only six active players that know what a dynasty team looks like. Four (Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevon Looney) play for the Warriors. Two —James and Kawhi Leonard —are nearing the ends of their careers. Only one, Thompson, will be available this summer.
If the Magic want their own personal tour guide for the path to winning an NBA championship, he’s the only one that can help them.
Why Mutual?
Some may wonder why Thompson would leave. More specifically, the question is, ‘Why the Magic?’ The simple answer is value.
The Magic will make Thompson feel valued with a lucrative contract offer. Thompson will feel valued if he’s also offered a starting role, which he lost with the Warriors. Lastly, Thompson will feel valued knowing that Orlando isn’t trying to replace him. Golden State has attempted to do so with Andrew Wiggins, who was acquired while Thompson was sidelined and then transformed into a 3-and-D wing. This season, rookie Brandin Podziemski started 28 games on the wing as a rookie, shooting 38.5 percent from 3.
So rather than playing for a team on its last legs that’s losing sight of his value, he’ll be playing for one that’s on the come up and recognizes it.
If he’s going to Orlando, he’ll get to bring his boat too. Though that may seem like a joke, Thompson had found respite from in the form of boating. For someone like Thompson, more of a sensitive personality that wears his heart on the sleeve, having such an outlet is for the best.
It also doesn’t hurt that the weather in Central Florida should be pretty close to what it is in the Bay.
