The Golden State Warriors are seeking ways to strengthen their roster following the departure of Klay Thompson in free agency and their failed attempt to acquire Paul George in a major NBA trade. One player they have been interested in is Utah Jazz standout Lauri Markkanen.
In a recent article, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley outlined a plausible trade scenario for each NBA team. In this proposal, the Warriors are not only set to acquire Markkanen but also add Walker Kessler to their roster.
According to the suggested trade package, Golden State would send Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II, Moses Moody, two first-round picks (2026, 2028), two second-round picks (2026, 2028), and a 2031 first-round pick swap to Utah. Markkanen still has one year remaining on his four-year, 67 million contracted and is anticipated to secure a substantial new deal.
His current contract for 2024-25 stands at a reasonable 18 million and is expected to secure a substantial new deal, making him the highest-paid player in the league with 67 million.
Now, let’s delve into whether this proposed trade would be beneficial for the Warriors or the Jazz.
The Warriors Are One of the Teams Who Have Expressed an Interest in Trading for Lauri Markkanen: Insider
"If you have to include Kuminga to make a deal like that happen, you include him"
—@_JasonLT says the Warriors are championship contenders with Lauri Markkanen pic.twitter.com/eU41HrLVVn
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) July 10, 2024
For the Golden State team, the proposed trade involves a significant amount of assets, especially given the front office’s hesitance to trade Kuminga. Nevertheless, the Warriors stand to gain a genuine star in Markkanen and another crucial contributor in Kessler. NBA writer Marc Stein has reported that the Warriors are one of the teams interested in acquiring Markkanen.
According to Stein’s report from July 9, 2024, titled “More Lauri Markkanen latest and a look ahead to Olympic men’s basketball,” he mentioned, “If Markkanen remains on his current contract, he will continue to be tradeable from now through the Feb. 6 deadline with his $18 million expiring salary before becoming an unrestricted free agent next June 30.” Stein also noted that teams like the Warriors and Kings, which pursued Markkanen during the offseason, can continue to pursue trade discussions with Utah until August 6, and potentially beyond if no extension is agreed upon. However, it seems that the intensity of these talks has diminished as there is a growing belief that the Jazz would prefer to sign an extension with Markkanen before making any further decisions.
Landing Jazz Star Lauri Markkanen Could Be Enough for the Warriors to Trade Jonathan Kuminga
"There's very few players in the league who are not talked about in trade discussions. Steph Curry is not being discussed in trade talks. Everybody else is."
– Steve Kerr on Jonathan Kuminga being involved in trade discussions (via @WillardAndDibs).
🎧 https://t.co/iIsG2SHAqo pic.twitter.com/VS4Bhpkg5c
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) July 10, 2024
Golden State has been reluctant to trade Kuminga, but head coach Steve Kerr has expressed that the team is open to exploring trade options. The experienced coach mentioned that, aside from Steph Curry, every player on the Warriors’ roster is available for discussion.
The future will reveal whether Markkanen could be the type of player that might prompt Golden State to trade Kuminga. Buckley believes that adding Kessler could be the extra incentive needed to finalize the deal.
In a July 10 article titled “1 Trade Every NBA Team Can Make Right Now,” Buckley stated, “This would nearly deplete the Dubs’ asset collection, but you could argue a player of Markkanen’s caliber is worth such a splurge. He’d be the most skilled teammate Stephen Curry has had since Kevin Durant left, as Markkanen is a scoring 7-footer with an impressive outside shot, a variety of post moves to capitalize on switches, and enough defensive capability to make a positive impact on both ends of the court.”
“If Golden State remains unsure whether Markkanen is worth giving up Kuminga, including Kessler in the trade might help to finalize the deal.”
