The Golden State Warriors have been quiet assassins in free agency this summer, but they may still be able to turn up the volume before the offseason ends.
Perhaps the best way for the Dubs to do so is to strike a deal for 2022-23 All-Star Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz. However, talks between the teams have stalled for nearly two weeks as the sides continue to disagree on Markkanen’s trade value.
One way to reignite discussions might be to add a third team that could help facilitate all parties involved getting what they want. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report authored such a proposal on Friday, July 26, involving the Sacramento Kings.
In the deal, Golden State would secure Markkanen and a couple trade exceptions in return for Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Kevon Looney, Gui Santos, a top-five protected first-round pick in 2025, a top-five protected first-round pick swap in 2027 and a second-round pick in 2026 via the Atlanta Hawks.
The Kings would secure Kuminga and two trade exceptions.
The Jazz, meanwhile, would get five players: Moody, Looney and Santos from the Warriors along with Kevin Huerter and Colby Jones from the Kings. Utah would also acquire five draft assets:
- Top-five protected 2025 first-round pick, becomes unprotected in 2026 absent conveyance (Warriors)
- 2026 second-round pick (Warriors, via Hawks)
- Top-five protected 2027 first-round pick swap, becomes 2028 second-round pick via Hawks absent conveyance (Warriors)
- 2028 first-round pick (Kings)
- 2030 first-round swap (Kings)
Trade Proposal Allows Warriors to Land Lauri Markkanen, Retain Brandin Podziemski
The move creates something of dizzying effect in all its complicated patchwork. However, the important outcomes for the Warriors are that they would land Markkanen without surrendering multiple first-round picks or Brandin Podziemski, the second-year shooting guard who is likely to battle De’Anthony Melton for a starting spot alongside Stephen Curry.
Pincus noted Golden State’s reluctance to trade Podziemski after the No. 19 overall pick in 2023 started 16 of 74 games and averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He also shot 38.5% from behind the 3-point line on 3.2 attempts per night, according to Basketball Reference.
Furthermore, Podziemski is playing on his $16.2 million rookie contract for the next three years. That affordability could prove crucial if the Dubs trade for Markkanen and must pay him north of $50 million annually over four consecutive years beginning in 2025-26. Markkanen will earn just over $18 million next season on the final year of his current $67.5 million deal.
The Jazz can offer Markkanen another four years at a maximum of $209 million on August 6 when the 7-foot forward, who averaged 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds with the Jazz last season, becomes extension-eligible. His production last season came on the heels of an All-Star campaign the year prior, in which Markkanen scored 25.6 points per game and hauled in 8.6 rebounds per contest.
Any Trade Between Warriors, Jazz for Lauri Markkanen Will Be Time-Sensitive
Markkanen’s situation is unique because he must sign on the dotted line in Utah on August 6 precisely or the Jazz won’t be able to move him ahead of the trade deadline on February 6, per Brian Windhorst of ESPN via the July 26 edition of the “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective” podcast.
The date of August 6, which is the first day Markkanen is extension-eligible, is exactly six months ahead of next season’s deadline. By league rules, no team can trade a player before and/or on the deadline date if he hasn’t been under contract for at least six months.
Windhorst added that several sources around the NBA have told him Markkanen will become a more attractive trade asset if he signs an extension in Utah because he will no longer be a potential rental player, but rather locked into a deal for the next five seasons.
Tim McMahon, Windhorst’s podcast co-host on Friday, said he doesn’t believe Markkanen will ink the deal on August 6 just so the Jazz can include him in trade talks over the next six months.
As such, the Jazz either need to deal Markkanen at some point over the next eight days or come to an agreement with him and a trade suitor, such as the Warriors, to ink Markkanen on August 6 and move him the same day. To do so, Markkanen would need to be on board with the move, while Utah and Golden State would need to have the parameters of a deal fully ironed out.
Jazz May Prefer to Avoid Long Contracts for Either Lauri Markkanen, Jonathan Kuminga
McMahon went on to say that he doesn’t see any trade materializing between the Jazz and Warriors for Markkanen unless Podziemski is included.
Part of that is because a maximum contract for Kuminga, Golden State’s other top young player, doesn’t fit into Utah’s multiyear rebuilding plan. Kuminga is already extension-eligible as he enters the final season of his rookie contract in 2024-25 and can sign a five-year deal worth a maximum of $224 million.
Furthermore, McMahon reported that the Jazz aren’t all-in on moving Markkanen in the first place.
“The Jazz, I don’t believe, are shopping him,” McMahon said Friday. “But if you give them an offer they can’t refuse, they’d take it. There’s been nothing close to an offer they can’t refuse.”
It is unclear if Pincus’ pitch equates to an offer the Jazz can’t turn down, though it would keep both Kuminga and Markkanen off of Utah’s books long-term and add several quality draft assets, including two first-round picks and two first-round swaps.
“The Jazz may reject the initial premise, but waiting until February to trade Markkanen comes with its own risks, including injury,” Pincus wrote. “Assuming the Warriors are making the best, concrete offer (teams rarely have the vast menu of choices kicked around on the internet), Utah may decide to bend on Podziemski for the haul of picks via Golden State and Sacramento.”
