The Golden State Warriors have tried their best to replace Klay Thompson in the offseason, landing Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and De’Anthony Melton. While those moves have been impressive, the Warriors reportedly have a strong interest in landing Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz, which would give Stephen Curry a co-star.
In a proposed trade from Allen Stiles of Bleacher Report, the Warriors would land Markkanen for a massive haul centered around Jonathan Kuminga.
Warriors would get: Markkanen, Walker Kessler
Jazz would get: Kuminga, Kevon Looney, Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis, 2025 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick
“Not only would the Warriors get Lauri Markkanen, they would also get Walker Kessler. But because they’re getting Walker Kessler, who’s 22 years old and a young big player in the league, I would do it,” Stiles said on July 4.
‘Warriors Number One Target is Lauri Markknanen’: 95.7 The Game
The Golden State Warriors lost the Paul George sweepstakes after the Los Angeles Clippers decided to let him walk to the Philadelphia 76ers. George could’ve been moved in a sign-and-trade with the Warriors.
After losing out on George, the Warriors are turning their attention to Markkanen, according to Monte Poole on an episode of “95.7 The Game.”
“Based on all I’ve heard so far, their number one priority is Lauri Markkanen,” Poole said on July 2. “He’s their number one target because Paul George went off the market on Saturday…Once that was gone, the Warriors were like ‘we have to scramble now, what are we gonna do?’…Markkanen is a guy that would be able to plug right in and play three or four.”
George and Markkanen are different players, but the idea of them would be the same. They’d pair Curry and Draymond Green with a new running mate and give the Warriors a chance to win another championship.
George, 6-foot-8, shot 41.3% from 3-point range on 7.9 attempts per game in 2023-24. He averaged 22.6 points per game. Markkanen, a 7-footer, shot 39.9% from 3-point range on 8.0 attempts per game and averaged 23.2 points.
Why the Jazz Would Trade Markkanen
Trading a player who averaged 23.2 points, won the Most Improved Player Award in 2022-23, and can shoot 40.0% from 3-point range at 7-foot would only be for one reason. The Utah Jazz aren’t in a position to win, and with the 2025 and 2026 NBA Drafts viewed as having generational talents, it allows the Jazz multiple opportunities to get better in the draft.
He’s also on the last year of his four-year, $67.5 million contract, so it’s possible they’d lose him for nothing next offseason.
They already have a surplus of picks due to the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades, including their own. If they move Markkanen, it’d be to tank and hope that some of their other picks end up in the lottery.
Tony Jones of The Athletic wrote that those drafts are the one argument for moving him.
“Of course, the argument for trading Markkanen is the talent level in the 2025 and 2026 NBA Drafts. They are both terrific, with dynamic franchise-level talent at the top. In 2025, there is Flagg.
“But there is also Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, and Nolan Traore, perhaps the best point guard to come out of France since Tony Parker. In 2026, there is Cam Boozer, the son of Carlos. There is AJ Dybantsa, Koa Peat and Ian Jackson. Utah needs as many bites of the apple at those draft classes as possible,” Jones wrote on July 2.
Jon Conahan covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Since 2019, his sports coverage has appeared at Sports Illustrated, oddschecker, ClutchPoints and Sportskeeda. More about Jon Conahan
