According to Monte Poole of 95.7 The Game, Lauri Markkanen is the Golden State Warriors’ top trade target this summer. Poole discussed this on a recent episode of “Steiny & Guru” where he highlighted Markkanen’s significant improvement since joining the Utah Jazz. Markkanen’s size, perimeter scoring, and versatile skill set make him an ideal fit for Steve Kerr’s five-out motion-based system. However, the Warriors would likely need to put forth a substantial trade offer to convince Utah to part with one of their best players.
Poole stated, “Based on all I’ve heard so far, their number one priority is Lauri Markkanen. 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.” Markkanen, 27, played in 55 games for the Jazz last season, averaging 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2 assists per game while shooting 48% from the field and 39.9% from three-point range. He would provide immediate help to fill the void left by Klay Thompson and add much-needed size to the Warriors’ roster.
The Warriors possess all the necessary trade assets to facilitate a deal for Markkanen. If they choose not to pursue Markkanen, it will be intriguing to see which potential star-level additions emerge in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on this story for further updates as the Warriors navigate the offseason trade market.