Report: Magic Unwilling To Give Klay Thompson More Than Two-Year Deal

The Orlando Magic and Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson appear to be at a crossroads if they're going to reach a deal in free agency.

Nov 3, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots the ball against Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) during the first quarter at Amway Center. / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

ORLANDO — Free agency is a little over a week away, but a path to a deal between the Orlando Magic and shooting guard Klay Thompson may be hard to find.

Yahoo Sports insider Jake Fischer, speaking about the reports connecting the Magic and Thompson on his podcast No Cap Room, said Orlando would be unwilling to give Thompson more than a two-year deal.

"The Orlando stuff, I'm not so certain about," Fischer said. "The Magic are only going to be willing to offer a two-year balloon payment bigger than what they did for Joe Ingles last year, but that is a data point to suggest that Orlando is willing to do such a thing. They gave Joe Ingles a two-year [$22 million] deal a year ago that he wasn't getting anywhere else with a team option on the second year."

Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area reported that Thompson is seeking at least a three-year deal if he chooses free agency.

The Athletic's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater previously reported that Orlando and Thompson have interest in each other. "For the first time in Thompson’s career, he has shown an appetite to explore external options," Charania and Slater said. "There remains mutual interest between Thompson and the Orlando Magic, according to league sources. The Warriors have made clear they want to bring Thompson back at the right price and in the right role."

Thompson's role in Orlando would be providing the Magic with a legitimate outside scoring threat. The Magic ranked last in 3-pointers made per game. Thompson is sixth all-time in 3-pointers made and has made 41.3 percent of his 3-pointers. He's also won four NBA championships and his 150-plus playoff games would be a welcome dose of experience for the fifth-youngest team in the league.

The flip side of the coin is Thompson is not the same player who helped the Warriors win those four titles. A torn ACL and ruptured Achilles tendon wiped out two seasons. The elite defense is a thing of his past.

The Yahoo Sports report suggests that Orlando would welcome Thompson's skill set for two years, but anything more could disrupt the team's financial flexibility. Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs are due rookie-scale extensions this offseason. All-Star forward Paolo Banchero will be eligible for the same deal in summer 2025.

Free agency begins on June 30.

Related stories on the Orlando Magic

• LAKERS HIRE FORMER MAGIC SHOOTING GUARD JJ REDICK: After an extensive search, the Los Angeles Lakers hired former Orlando Magic shooting guard JJ Redick as their next head coach. CLICK HERE
• TOP THREE SHOOTING GUARDS IN FREE AGENCY: Who should the Orlando Magic look at in free agency if they want to bolster their backcourt this offseason? CLICK HERE
• PAUL GEORGE PRAISES PAOLO BANCHERO: Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George spoke highly of Orlando Magic All-Star forward Paolo Banchero on his podcast. Could they team up in Orlando? CLICK HERE