After weeks of drama, speculation and will they or won’t they between the Warriors, Utah Jazz and Lauri Markkanen, the final days, hours and minutes on the future of the rising star could be coming to a close.
Markkanen on Tuesday becomes eligible to have his contract renegotiated and extended. Any player who signs an extension cannot be traded for exactly six months, which from Tuesday equates to the final day of the 2024-25 NBA trade deadline. If Markkanen waits until Wednesday or later to sign an extension he cannot be dealt now or before the trade deadline to the Warriors or any other team.
The sharp-shooting big man is in the final year of a four-year, $67.5 million contract that has the Jazz paying him $18 million this upcoming season, a number far lower than what Markkanen would be worth on the open market as a free agent in the summer of 2025. Utah has created an abundance of salary-cap space this offseason and can pay him more than any other team.
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The Jazz also are in an odd spot of having multiple young players they want to see get time on the court, yet are one of many teams that have their eyes on Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg atop the 2025 NBA Draft. Utah CEO Danny Ainge wants to win every trade by a mile, putting an incredibly high price tag on possibly parting ways with Markkanen.
Having Markkanen still in their plans could give the Jazz a cornerstone to continue building around, but also take them out of the Flagg sweepstakes.
The Warriors’ most attractive assets are Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga, as well as two unprotected first-round draft picks – a combination of 2025 and 2027 or 2026 and 2028 – and one in 2030 if it’s to land in the top 30, for a team whose superstar is a 36-year-old Steph Curry who only has two years remaining on his current contract.
Kuminga enjoyed a breakout third season that saw him average a career-high 16.1 points and currently is extension eligible on his rookie contract.
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Aside from being named All-Rookie First Team, exceeding expectations and quickly earning Steve Kerr’s trust, Podziemski’s extremely cheap rookie contract that has him under club control for three more years makes the combo guard a very valuable commodity to the Jazz in any Markkanen trade.
Not adding Markkanen would put the Warriors in a tough position after a disappointing season where they failed to make the playoffs two years after an improbable championship. Markkanen essentially is a perfect fit for the Warriors. Markkanen has the size and ability to stretch the floor, along with being in his prime as a bridge for the present and future that can allow the Warriors to maximize a closing window in the finality of Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr’s last few years.
Markkanen is a 7-foot, 27-year-old who shoots like Dirk Nowitzki and has averaged 24.5 points on 49/39.5/88.5 shooting splits over the last two years. Markkanen would be the second star the Warriors badly need alongside Curry. He’d be a great complement to Green in the frontcourt, and ironically if Kuminga were to stay on the Warriors, lanes could become wide open – clearing the high-flyer for takeoff and letting his most natural skills shine.
The Warriors have to be rooting for one of three scenarios: Getting a trade done before Markkanen puts pen to paper, having him renegotiate and sign a Jazz extension Tuesday to make him available on the final day of next season’s deadline or somehow Wednesday and beyond goes by without Markkanen and the Jazz agreeing to new terms.
For better or worse, the wait should soon be over, bringing Lauri Watch to a happy or bitter end depending on what side of the saga you’re invested in.