Lauri Markkanen

Warriors target Markkanen signs five-year, $238M Jazz deal, per agent

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NBC Universal, Inc. Dalton Johnson breaks down the Golden State Warriors’ options after missing out on a trade for Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen, who reportedly will sign a long-term contract extension.

The Warriors now know how much it would have cost to lock up Lauri Markkanen, had they been able to complete a trade for the NBA All-Star forward on Tuesday.

Markkanen has signed a five-year, $238 million contract with the Utah Jazz, SIG Sports' Michael Lelchitski told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday morning.

The deal is considered a renegotiation and extension because Markkanen and the Jazz reworked his 2024-25 salary as part of the agreement.

The 27-year-old was scheduled to make $18 million in the final year of his contract, but the Jazz added on $24 million in the new deal, per Wojnarowski.

Beyond that, Markkanen will make $196 million over the next four seasons.

In total, the 2017 No. 7 overall pick receives $220 million in new money and locks him into Utah long-term.

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Markkanen became extension eligible on Tuesday, and had he signed a deal immediately, the Jazz would have had the option to deal him at the Feb. 6, 2025 NBA trade deadline.

But by waiting one day to complete the contract, Markkanen can't be traded during the 2024-25 NBA season. If the Jazz still want to move him, they will have to wait until next offseason.

The Warriors were enamored with the idea of adding Markkanen and reportedly made the "most aggressive" offer to the Jazz, but in the end, the sides couldn't match up on the right compensation.

Utah reportedly wanted second-year NBA guard Brandin Podziemski included in the deal, which was a price Golden State wasn't willing to pay.

The Warriors reportedly offered a package centered around fourth-year NBA guard Moses Moody, future first-round draft picks and draft pick swaps.

Markkanen addressed the trade rumors in an interview with Wojnarowski.

"It's a weight off my shoulders and I can focus only one the main thing now: playing basketball at a high level," Markkanen told Wojnarowski. "I don't stress about it, but you can't pretend you don't hear that stuff. It's a good feeling knowing that I'm going to be in Utah."

The Warriors now must move forward with the roster they have -- led by Steph Curry and Draymond Green -- after missing out on Markkanen this week and All-Star forward Paul George earlier in the offseason.

If Podziemski and fourth-year NBA forward Jonathan Kuminga take sizeable steps forward this season, missing out on Markkanen won't sting as much.

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