Kuminga Trade Idea Gets Warriors $196M All-Star Forward

The Golden State Warriors have been linked to Trey Murphy III and Michael Porter Jr., but there hasn't been much smoke about Lauri Markkanen.

We know the Warriors had interest in him in the summer of 2024 before he signed his four-year, $195.9 million extension.

It's easy to assume that the combination of how expensive he is and how much draft capital the Jazz would ask for would make this an unlikely agreement.

But it should be noted that in the weeks leading up to the Jimmy Butler trade, there wasn't much smoke. In fact, the most prominent rumor said Butler would not sign an extension if the Warriors traded for him. Mere days later, the Warriors traded for him and extended his contact.

So it's possible the Warriors are covertly working the phone lines with Jazz CEO Danny Ainge in attempt to land Markkanen.

Here is what a trade would look like.

Trade Details

Warriors get: Lauri Markkanen
Jazz get: Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield, Al Horford, 2028 unprotected first-round pick, 2032 unprotected first-round pick

Why the Warriors Do It

I've written a handful of times that the Warriors are the only team in the NBA with just two players averaging over 12 points per game. Whoever they acquire this trade season needs to be a scorer.

Markannen is averaging 27.9 points on 48.5 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from three. The 7'1" forward would guard bigger wings and make many of Golden State's lineups normal-sized instead of small.

The Warriors would still be lacking a traditional wing stopper after this trade, which would put a ton of pressure on Jimmy Butler to fill that void in the playoffs. But perhaps Butler would be up to the task, as he wouldn't have to carry as much of the scoring load with Markkanen in town.

Of course, Markkanen's perimeter shooting would play well with Butler and Draymond Green. The Warriors' closing lineup of Stephen Curry, De'Anthony Melton, Butler, Markannen and Green would match up well with any team's best five.

It should also be noted that the Jazz have been better on defense with Markkanen on the floor over the last four seasons, per Cleaning the Glass.

He'll never be known as an elite defender, but he's better than given credit for.

Why the Jazz Do It

Well, first off the Jazz only keep their 2026 first-round if it lands in the top eight. Otherwise, they lose it to the Thunder. So trading Markannen would help them lose enough to keep it, but note that they could shut him down early, which would have the same effect.

So the main reason they do this is that Markkanen's age doesn't line up with this team's trajectory.

Markkanen is already 28. He'll be 29 before next season starts. The Jazz are building around Keyonte George (22), Ace Bailey (19), Walker Kessler (24) and whoever they get from this loaded 2026 draft class.

They are at least a couple years away from serious contention. So there's an argument to be made that they should sell high on Markkanen instead of trying to extend him again in a few years and be saddled with a bloated contract that spans into his mid-30s.

The picks are far and away the prize of this deal. The 2028 and 2032 Golden State picks are two the most valuable on the trade market. Ainge demands both, and the Warriors begrudgingly accept knowing both could be high lottery picks. But sometimes that's the price you pay to go for it.

The Jazz have no use for Hield and Horford, so they probably release them immediately. They give Kuminga lots of minutes to see if he pops, and if not, they decline his team option in the offseason, giving them more cap space. Moody is a useful piece they can either build with or reroute.