NBA Free Agency: 2 West Powerhouses Now Frontrunners to Trade for Lauri Markkanen

With most free agents now off the board this season and several contending teams’ lineups largely unchanged, one-time All-Star Utah Jazz combo forward Lauri Markkanen has emerged as a top name being floated as a major trade target this summer.

According to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs are seen as the teams most enthusiastically honing in on the 7-foot phenom. Between those two clubs, Haynes considers the Warriors to be the more invested team in adding Markkanen.

Per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Utah is open to fielding calls for Markkanen’s services this offseason. The Arizona product is also extension-eligible, and it appears that the Jazz is amenable to keeping him rostered, even though the 27-year-old is in his prime right now and on a great contract, while Utah is going absolutely nowhere anytime soon, and faces what could be a loaded draft in 2025. Markkanen is on an absolute steal of an $18 million expiring contract, and it will probably behoove him to wait to reach unrestricted free agency rather than agree to a contract extension anyway.

It may be in team CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge’s best interest to move on from Markkanen and focus on extracting as much future draft equity as possible.

Utah doesn’t have much veteran depth around Markkanen anymore and has finished 68-96 across its two seasons with the big man rostered. Granted, the team sold at the 2022-23 trade deadline and appeared to deliberately not add major pieces at the last offseason or, thus far, the 2024 offseason. Markkanen deserves a chance to shine on a team that’s hoping to go places, and it does not appear likely that team will be the Jazz at all.

Across 55 contests for the 31-51 Jazz in 2023-24, Markkanen posted averages of 23.2 points on a .480/.399/.899 slash line, 8.2 rebounds, two assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks a night. His jump shooting has long been a major floor-spreading strength, but in Utah under head coach Will Hardy Markkanen has gotten to enjoy having the rock in his hands far more frequently, and has thrived as a ballhandler and distributor.

The Spurs are an intriguing possible destination for Markkanen. San Antonio boasts the reigning Rookie of the Year and an All-Defensive First Teamer, center Victor Wembanyama, newly-signed veteran former 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul, and two intriguing perimeter options in Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell, recent lottery pick power forward Jeremy Sochan, and 2024 No. 4 draft pick Stephon Castle, a combo guard out of the University of Connecticut.

Wembanyama, who already looked terrific in 2023-24, seems poised to make his own first All-Star season next year. With one of the great all-time floor generals now running the show, the team seems poised to take a leap.

But with Markkanen on board (presumably in exchange for a young asset and a contract), the team could become a frisky contender for the No. 8 seed in a crowded Western Conference. Markkanen is still young enough to be a floor-spacing long-term fit with Wembanyama, and his unique ability to facilitate could endear him to the 7-foot-4 big man.

The Warriors have had a rocky offseason, having let former “Splash Brother” Klay Thompson depart in a free-agent sign-and-trade. Golden State has brought in a defensive upgrade for the aging Thompson, De’Anthony Melton, using its full $12.8 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Golden State acquired a $16 million trade exception in the Thompson deal, part of which it subsequently used to obtain former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson, who signed a three-season, $27 million sign-and-trade.

Shams Charania of The Athletic has reported that Golden State is hoping to obtain Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Buddy Hield via another sign-and-trade. Adding Markkanen would add a fascinating new dimension to their offense. A core of All-NBA point guard Stephen Curry, aging former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green, ascendant forward Jonathan Kuminga, and Markkanen could prove to be an intriguing threat in the Western Conference.