Getty Lauri Markkanen reacting during a January 5 game against the Boston Celtics.
The Golden State Warriors are undergoing a franchise altering offseason, after losing Klay Thompson to free agency. Will a trade for Lauri Markkanen be their next move?
According to Monte Poole of NBC Sports, the Utah Jazz forward is the Warriors’ top target as they reshape the roster.
He reported their interest in Markkanen on an appearance on 95.7 The Game.
“Based on all I’ve heard so far, their number one target is Lauri Markkanen,” Poole said on July 2. “And he’s the number one target because Paul George went off the table on Saturday…Lauri Markkanen is a guy, he’s that beautiful stretch four…Markkanen is a guy you can plug right in and he can play three or four…If you got a seven-footer who can get buckets, and he can, a 40% shooter from three, that’s big in this league.”
Markkanen is coming off of his seventh NBA campaign, and second with the Jazz.
He averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2 assists in 55 regular-season games last season. He’s a career 37% shooter from three.
5 Teams Reported to be Interested in Lauri Markkanen
Golden State is one of five teams interested in a trade for Markkanen, according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype.
“The Warriors, Kings, Spurs, Timberwolves, and Pelicans are among the teams who’ve expressed interest in trading for Markkanen, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported on July 2.
But according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Warriors are the most aggressive party among them all.
“I was told the Warriors are the aggressors, the San Antonio Spurs, they are in on it as well,” Haynes said on a July 2 live stream for Bleacher Report. “I’m told on a serious nature, it’s those two teams; Spurs, Warriors. But I’m told the Warriors, more importantly, are really pursuing, really trying to see what they can do to make it happen.”
Golden State can put together a competitive offer for Markkanen: Gary Payton II, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, along with multiple first-round picks. But will they?
They didn’t max out their assets in a trade offer for Paul George, according to reports.
Warriors Were ‘Close’ to Acquiring Paul George
Poole also mentioned how close Golden State was to acquiring George, when discussing Markkanen as their top target.
“They had everything lined up for Paul George, and they got close,” Poole said. “It didn’t happen. And once that was gone, the Warriors were like ‘Okay, we have to scramble now, what are we gonna do?'”
George ended up signing a four-year, $212-million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. And the Warriors were sent back to the drawing board.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported that talks stalled after Golden State refused to include Kuminga in a deal to the LA Clippers.
“The Warriors offered multiple combinations of expiring contracts, young players and an unprotected 2027 first-round pick, sources said,” Shelburne wrote on July 3. “The Clippers countered by asking for prized youngster Jonathan Kuminga, sources said. The Warriors resisted because Kuminga is so important to their own future, sources said.”
Kuminga is coming off of his third year with the Warriors, who drafted him seventh overall in 2019. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 74 regular-season appearances with the team last season.
Now they’ll face a similar discussion with the Jazz, no doubt. Kuminga will be a near-requirement in any return for Markkanen, if Golden State is to compete with the growing market.