One of Warriors legend Klay Thompson’s realistic, potential suitors might not offer him the enticing free-agent contract he wants.
The Orlando Magic will be prioritizing short-term contracts when negotiating -- with star and high-end role players alike -- during free agency, which is the opposite of what Thompson desires, Yahoo! Sports senior insider Jake Fischer reported Friday.
“Orlando, sources said, indeed holds intentions of pursuing a veteran guard/wing who can space the floor around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, without commanding too much on-ball oxygen,” Fischer said.
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“Orlando appears to have an appetite to only offer a short-term deal, similar to the two-year, above-market contract the Magic awarded Joe Ingles a season ago.”
Fellow microwave scorers such as Malik Monk and Paul George are two other names of interest to Orlando, in addition to Thompson, but the longtime Golden State wing might be the lone unsigned option come June 30.
Monk reportedly will re-sign with the Sacramento Kings and George doesn’t know what he wants to do on the court to pair with his podcast host role.
Regarding Thompson, the Magic likely would have leverage over him in contract negotiations due to his age, injury history and latest campaign, in which he averaged 17.9 points on 43.2-percent shooting from the field.
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It is unlikely that Thompson’s hopes and dreams will be met during the upcoming free agency period.
“Let’s say the Magic prove to be open to something similar to Bruce Brown’s contract last summer, when the Pacers inked the former Nuggets swingman to a two-year, $45 million deal, the second season being a team option,” Fischer said. “That number would be below what Thompson declined from Golden State prior to the 2023-24 campaign, sources said, and would not come close to the four years and $78 million Sacramento plans to give Monk.
“Thompson is also believed by league sources to want a deal of at least three seasons. Therefore, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would seem, at present, to be the veteran in line to benefit from the Magic’s cap space.”
Three years seems to be too long of a commitment for the Magic, which, if true, would leave Thompson in no-man’s land.
It was reported earlier on Friday that the Warriors recently offered the 12-year veteran a two-year contract, but nothing has come of it. Golden State also proposed a two-year contract extension to Thompson before the 2023-24 NBA season started, and that led to nothing, too.
It’s uncertain where Thompson will sign, and for how much money and time. If anything, the two-way sharpshooter’s situation might best be concluded by staying in a Warriors uniform for at least another season.
Regardless, the Magic, per Fischer, will not meet Thompson’s contractual standards.
And the clock is ticking on careers and championship windows.