At this stage of the NBA offseason, player movement has significantly slowed down, with most major free agents having re-signed with their teams or agreed to play elsewhere next season.
While free agency has mostly wrapped up with many notable players signing new contracts, there’s still a possibility for blockbuster trades before the 2024-25 NBA season starts. One prominent player currently on the trade block is attracting interest from multiple teams this summer.
Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz has been frequently mentioned as a potential trade candidate, with the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs emerging as the main contenders for his services.
The Warriors aim to recover after losing Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks and hope to make another championship run with Stephen Curry. Meanwhile, the Spurs seek to add another star to join Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Spurs are willing to trade multiple first-round picks and Keldon Johnson, making them a leading candidate to acquire Markkanen, as reported by Legion Hoops.
REPORT: “The Spurs have shown a willingness to part with multiple first-round picks, as well as Keldon Johnson, in a potential deal for Lauri Markkanen”, per @BrettSiegelNBA. pic.twitter.com/343xR8kYnq
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 22, 2024
“The Spurs have shown a willingness to part with multiple first-round picks, as well as Keldon Johnson, in a potential deal for Lauri Markkanen,” Siegel said.
Unless another team presents an offer too good for the Jazz to refuse, the competition for Markkanen appears to be between the Warriors and Spurs.
Acquiring Markkanen would speed up the Spurs’ rebuilding process around Wembanyama, while for Golden State, it could enhance their title contention chances or significantly improve their team if they can bring him in to play alongside Curry and Draymond Green.
