Report: Warriors Aggressively Pursuing Trade For Jazz Star Lauri Markkanen

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Golden State Warriors are aggressively pursuing a trade for Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen.

The Jazz are taking trade calls on Markkanen, who is in the final year of his contract. He’ll make $18 million next season.

Markkanen is one of the top players in the NBA. He averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks in 2023-24 for the Jazz while shooting 48.0% from the field, 39.9% from beyond the arc and 89.9% from the free-throw line. 

Markkanen has career averages of 18.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks with the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Jazz. He won the 2022-23 Most Improved Player of the Year Award with Utah. 

The Warriors missed the playoffs in 2024. They lost the 9-10 play-in game to the Sacramento Kings. 

Golden State lost Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks in free agency. Thompson agreed on a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks. 

According to NBA insider Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Thompson wanted to leave the Warriors, so much so that he told Stephen Curry not to get involved in his free agency. 

“It’s been a layered five-year path to this divorce, splintering last season, sprouting earlier and finalizing in the last couple weeks, where —among the conversations Thompson had, league sources said — was a request of Curry not to exert his significant organizational influence and up the temperature with management to ensure Thompson’s return,” Slater wrote. “Curry’s measured voice, even if it altered the outcome, wouldn’t change the genuineness of Joe Lacob and the front office’s true desire to have Thompson back.”

The Warriors made six NBA Finals and won four championships in the Curry-Thompson-Draymond Green era. Thompson averaged 19.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks with Golden State. He turns 35 next season.

The Warriors drafted Thompson with the 11th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft out of Washington State. Thompson made five All-Star teams, two All-NBA teams and one All-Defensive team with the Warriors.