Warriors surprising stance on Lauri Makkanen trade puts new player in crossfire

The Golden State Warriors began the offseason with ambitious plans, dangling Chris Paul's non-guaranteed $30 million salary in various trade talks around the league. We were oh so close to Paul George ending up in Golden State next to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, but the Warriors' own hesitance put the kibosh on that dream.

Lauri Markkanen is the next man up for the Dubs' front office. CP3 is long gone, and so is his tradeable salary, but Golden State has Andrew Wiggins' cumbersome deal and a few quality young pieces to float to the Utah Jazz — not to mention a wealth of draft picks. Now, it's a matter of putting together a package Danny Ainge and Utah will actually accept.

It's a tough situation, as Markkanen's team-friendly contract, age (27), and highly adaptable skill set make him a valuable commodity. There's no pressure for the Jazz to trade him when an extension is on the table, if not inevitable, should he remain in Salt Lake City. The only motivation for Utah to trade Markkanen would be to tank and reset the competitive timeline. Utah won't do that unless the Warriors can significantly aid such a process.

The Paul George trade allegedly fell through because the Warriors didn't want to part with Jonathan Kuminga. Now, it's Golden State's adoration of Brandin Podziemski that appears to be blockading a potential All-Star addition. The Jazz want the sophomore guard out of Santa Clara, fresh off his All-Rookie campaign. The Warriors love the kid and don't want to trade him.

In fact, the Warriors would actually be more inclined to deal Kuminga, once thought borderline untouchable, in a potential Markkanen trade, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

"Yet there is also a growing belief leaguewide that the Warriors would be more willing to move Jonathan Kuminga in a Markkanen trade — or any big-swing deal — than Podziemski. To this point, however, it must be noted that Golden State's offers for Markkanen have centered around a package featuring Moses Moody and draft compensation without including Podziemski or Kuminga."

Warriors prefer trading Jonathan Kuminga over Brandin Podziemski in Lauri Markkanen pursuit

Well, we can flatly say the Warriors aren't getting this deal across the finish line without including at least one of Kuminga or Podziemski. It's fair to express trepidation about including both, which is surely what Utah's first counteroffer was, but we are talking about a 27-year-old All-Star making $18 million this season, with a skill set perfectly tailored to the Warriors' motion offense. There isn't a chance Markkanen ends up in San Francisco without at least one core young talent going the opposite direction to Utah.

As for which prospect Golden State should value most, that doesn't necessarily need to align with Utah's preference. The Jazz could bet on the upside tied to Kuminga's size, athleticism, and strength. Podziemski, meanwhile, is a winning player through and through and he has the trust of Steve Kerr, which is extremely rare for a 21-year-old. Golden State would be trying to win by acquiring Markkanen, who would slot most comfortably into Kuminga's spot in the starting rotation. It's only natural for the Warriors to prefer Podziemski.

It's clear from reporting, however, that the Jazz probably view Podziemski as the more valuable asset, thus the stalls in momentum. It's unclear how steadfast Golden State is in its desire to keep Podziemski, nor how staunchly Utah will hold out until he's offered. One has to imagine there's a suitable package to be built around Kuminga, Moody, and a boatload of picks. If the Jazz are seriously inclined to trade Markkanen — and that 'if' is the key to all of this — there ought to be middle ground somewhere.

It's notable that Kuminga is being cast in this light, though, after Golden State essentially told the Los Angeles Clippers to move on in Paul George talks. Kuminga has long been propped up as a cornerstone piece for the Warriors, and he still is. But, it's clear he's not untouchable if the right All-Star comes along. We shall see if Markkanen is that All-Star.