The latest Lauri Markkanen news doesn’t look good for the Warriors.
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) watches the monitor during the first half of the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: / John Hefti-USA TODAY SportsIn this story:
The Golden State Warriors are desperate to trade for Lauri Markknan offseason. Unfortunately for Golden State, Lauri Markkanen isn’t desperate to leave the Utah Jazz right now and it’s likely looking like won’t be.
According to the latest report from Jake Fischer of The Athletic, Lauri Markkanen likely won’t sign an extension with the Utah Jazz until Wednesday or later. Meaning, that Markkanen won’t be eligible to be traded during the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season and he’ll receive a much bigger payday. According to Fischer, that’s exactly what Markkanen is going to do.
But if Markkanen waits to sign his new deal until Wednesday or later, Markkanen won’t be eligible to be traded during this upcoming 2024-25 season. He wouldn’t be eligible to be traded for six months after his new agreement,
“All indications, though, are that Markkanen intends to delay his signature for that exact purpose, league sources told Yahoo Sports,” Fischer said.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) blocks a shot by Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) during the second half at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Both Tim Kawakami and Tony Jones of The Athletic have reported similar findings, stating that it’s unlikely for Markkanen to sign a new deal by Tuesday.
“According to The Athletic’s Tony Jones, it’s unlikely that Markkanen will sign the new deal by Tuesday, which makes sense,” Kawakami said. “The 27-year-old Markkanen knows he’s going to get major money either now or next summer. By not signing this week, Markkanen essentially gains a bit of control over his future.”
While all of this sounds very complicated, the short story is that the Golden State Warriors likely aren’t getting Lauri Markkanen. The team will have struck out on both two major All-Stars because they weren’t aggressive enough, and will have surrounded Steph Curry without an All-Star running mate.