The Golden State Warriors are currently the leading contenders for Lauri Markkanen. Although they have shown strong interest in acquiring the star forward, their enthusiasm may not be quite sufficient. The Utah Jazz are seeking Brandin Podziemski as part of any trade deal for Markkanen. However, the Warriors appear reluctant to part with Podziemski, showing a firm commitment to keeping him on their roster.
According to NBA insider Marc Steiner, the Warriors are continuing their pursuit of Markkanen but have not included Podziemski or Jonathan Kuminga in their offers. This approach is unlikely to attract the interest of Jazz CEO of Basketball Operations, Danny Ainge. Nonetheless, with recent developments, it seems that moving their star forward may soon become a more manageable prospect for the Jazz.
Jazz coaching staff visits Lauri Markkanen in Finland
With the NBA season just a couple of months away, players are at varying stages of readiness. Some are working hard to get back into game shape after an offseason break, while others are still enjoying their vacation and will return to training in the coming weeks.
For Lauri Markkanen, it seems he’s experiencing the best of both worlds. Marc Stein recently reported that the Utah Jazz have sent a team of coaches to work with Markkanen in his home country. This move suggests that the Jazz are serious about keeping the star forward, despite ongoing rumors linking him to the Golden State Warriors. If the Jazz were planning to trade Markkanen, it wouldn’t make sense to invest in his training. With trainers now supporting him, it seems likely that Markkanen will remain in Utah, unless a team meets Jazz CEO Danny Ainge’s asking price.
“The Jazz recently sent multiple coaching staff representatives to Finland to assist Markkanen in workouts with rising Jazz guard Keyonte George,” Stein wrote. “The team has even been posting pictures of those on-court sessions all week via social media. More than one rival team consulted said it agreed with my personal read that it just got harder to see Utah abruptly turning around and trading him immediately in the wake of helping to facilitate training sessions in faraway Markkanen’s home country.”
This situation may prompt the Warriors to reconsider their offer for Markkanen. With Klay Thompson out, the Warriors need to fill the gap left by the shooter. It may be more prudent for Golden State to seek a player who fits their playstyle without having to part with key assets.