NBA Insider Throws Cold Water on Potential Warriors-Jazz Blockbuster Trade

Could the Golden State Warriors make a push for Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen?

Oct 25, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) posts up on Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Golden State Warriors made a splash at the 2024-25 NBA trade deadline by acquiring six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler, and many are wondering what lengths the front office will go to try to get Steph Curry another ring.

Of course, a star trio of Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green, along with a few vital supporting cast pieces, could be enough to compete in the stacked Western Conference, but there is a chance the team gets desperate again. Ideally, the Warriors could make a push for Giannis Antetokounmpo this season as trade rumors circulate, but more realistically, another star comes to mind.

The Utah Jazz are ‘very open’ to trading Lauri Markkanen, per @SIChrisMannix pic.twitter.com/XF4m3kl7y5

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 8, 2025

There has been recent talk about the availability of Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen, and of course, the Warriors seem like a team to monitor.

However, it may not be that simple for Golden State.

Could the Warriors trade for Markkanen?

Oct 25, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) looks to pass over Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

NBA insider Jake Fischer recently took to Bleacher Report's "Insider Notebook" to talk about a potential Markkanen trade. Fischer said that he does not think the Jazz are actively shopping Markkanen, but will certainly entertain trade offers for him. Fischer brings up the Warriors as a team that showed interest in him last offseason, but believes it would be a complicated move now.

"The two teams that were right in the mix [last offseason] were Golden State and Sacramento... Golden State doesn't really seem to have the contracts and the juice to get a deal done in the post-Jimmy Butler era," Fischer said.

However, the Warriors could make it work, it might just be too steep of a price for the team to pay.

"But look, if they're gonna go out and get Lauri Markkanen, I think that's the exact type of upgrade that the Warriors are going to be hopefully trying to turn Jonathan Kuminga into," Fischer continued. "But at that point, I don't know how the Warriors get Lauri Markkanen without putting both Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski in that type of deal."

While Markkanen would be an ideal fourth star for the Warriors to have, it seems highly unlikely that they could get a deal done, especially with how stingy the Jazz typically are in trade discussions.

The main obstacle is Markkanen's new contract that he signed last offseason, which is worth $195.9 million over the next four years. Of course, with that type of money, the Warriors would have a very challenging time figuring out the financials of a potential trade, as would any team that is potentially interested in the All-Star forward.