Warriors Shouldn't Force Lauri Markkanen Trade After Paul George Miss amid NBA Rumors

The Golden State Warriors aren't off to the most encouraging start in the 2024 NBA offseason. They made a play for Los Angeles Clippers point guard Paul George but missed out when he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Warriors then parted with longtime star Klay Thompson in a sign-and-trade with the Dallas Mavericks.

Golden State now finds itself without a true second option next to Stephen Curry, though it has reportedly identified its next target.

"Based on all I've heard so far, the Warriors' No. 1 target is Lauri Markkanen," Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area told 95.7 The Game on Tuesday.

On the surface, Markkanen seems like an ideal fit for the Warriors. He's a 7'0" forward who could add some much-needed size to the roster, and he's an excellent range shooter—he's made at least 39 percent of his three-point attempts in three of the past four seasons.

At 27 years old, he could also help bridge the gap from a 36-year-old Curry and a 34-year-old Draymond Green to younger players like Jonathan Kuminga.

The problem is that landing the Finn would be an extremely costly move. The Warriors cannot allow desperation to cloud their judgment after missing out on George.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Utah Jazz have received "a bevy of interest" in Markkanen but are unlikely to deal him for anything less than a king's ransom.

"The leaguewide belief is that the Jazz would only consider moving Markkanen for a sizable trade package similar to what the Knicks gave up to acquire Mikal Bridges—a player Utah tried to acquire and pair with Markkanen," Scotto wrote on Tuesday.

New York sent four unprotected first-round picks, an unprotected pick swap and a protected first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets to acquire Bridges.

Markkanen could command a similar package, especially if multiple teams are making offers.

It would be difficult for the Warriors, who finished 10th in the West last season, to justify giving up that much draft capital in a move that isn't guaranteed to deliver a championship. At some point, Golden State must consider its future without Curry, and draft picks could play a huge part in the rebuild.

Adding Markkanen alone isn't going to make the Warriors one of the favorites in the West this coming season, not with the Mavericks and Denver Nuggets still looking like perennial contenders.

The Warriors roster doesn't look great beyond Curry and Kuminga. They could try exchanging players instead of picks, but it would further deplete the team's questionable depth.

And Kuminga is arguably the biggest trade chip Golden State has. Including him in a trade could significantly lower the draft-capital cost but would potentially leave it without a future centerpiece.

While some may still view a Kuminga-Markkanen swap as a net positive for the Warriors, it feels extremely unlikely.

"Kuminga will likely be a Warrior going forward unless he's needed in a trade package for an All-NBA player, HoopsHype has learned," Scotto wrote on June 24.

Valuing Kuminga differently now just because Thompson is gone and the Warriors missed on George would be a mistake. That's what desperate franchises do, and it rarely yields long-term success.

None of this means that Golden State shouldn't have interest in Markkanen. If his market isn't as hot as rumors would suggest and his price point is a fraction of what Bridges was before free agency, a trade absolutely could make sense for the Warriors.

Patience could benefit Golden State there. Markkanen will be eligible to sign a contract extension in August, and Utah may be more eager to move him then if it isn't happy with negotiations. By next month, other teams currently interested in the player could be out.

However, the Warriors can't force a trade now, not when Markkanen is one of the top trade targets available and the Jazz hold plenty of leverage.