The Golden State Warriors are looking to make significant changes this offseason. They want to rebuild the team after Klay Thompson decided to end his time with the Dubs and join the Dallas Mavericks. Stephen Curry gave a hint that he might decide to leave the team, too, if they turn out to be a “Bottom-feeder.” But letting Thompson go was a big heartbreak for the Dubs fans and the organization already. Now, they would not want to let the three-point King leave, too. Most importantly, the trio of Steph, Dray, and Klay have been the franchise icons who helped them become a modern-day dynasty.
Hence, letting any one of them go is a big setback for the franchise. But the truth is the Dubs are trying to find the perfect supporting cast around Stephen Curry right now. The point guard would miss his ‘Splash bro’ and one of the best shooting guards in the league. Now, who can replace Thompson to provide adequate support for Curry in the Warriors offense? The GSW has been looking to land the Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen for a while. But the latest report suggests that the Jazz won’t trade the forward.
How Warriors Missed Their Chance To Land Lauri Markkanen?
On Tuesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the GSW’s search for replacing Thompson would have to continue somewhere else. After all, the Utah Jazz won’t trade Lauri Markkanen any time soon. Recently, the Utah side extended the forward’s contract for the long term. The NBA insider suggested that the Jazz and Markkanen will sign a deal on Wednesday or later. Charania wrote on X, previously called Twitter, “Jazz expect to sign a massive long-term contract extension with Markkanen.” Moreover, The Athletic writer added that the Utah side just made the forward untradeable for the entire next season. On top of that, the key point of the story is that the signing on August 6 made all the difference.
https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1820847540876558639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1820847540876558639%7Ctwgr%5E7fbeed5828970535202fcbd7654527f627c8555a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportskeeda.com%2Fbasketball%2Fnews-nba-insider-shams-charania-drops-bombshell-warriors-trade-prospect
As a result, until next offseason, the Jazz will keep the forward. Hence, the Dubs are out of the race to sign Markkanen. The Finnish forward was one of the most sought after players in the offseason as his current contract would run out next season. Moreover, the Warriors liked him because of his team-friendly $18 million cap value. So far, the exact value of the contract extension is not clear, but Shams Charania hinted that it might be above $200 million over a five-year deal. If Markkanen signs a $200 million contract with the Jazz, then it will be the biggest contract in the Utah side’s history.
What’s Next For The Dubs?
The Golden State Warriors were a top contender for landing the Finnish forward. However, they were unwilling to trade some of their top prospects that the Jazz wanted. Perhaps that was the final nail in the coffin for any chances that the Dubs had to land Markkanen. Now, the seven-time champions are left with a questionable team. They don’t look anywhere near a top contender in the Western Conference.
Perhaps they can try to sign Zach LaVine, making a last-ditch effort. But nothing guarantees that they would succeed with the team they have now. Curry needed a good supporting cast. They don’t have it right now. Perhaps Warriors turning out to be a bottom feeder is not very far from next year. Then, Stephen Curry will have to say ‘Goodbye’ to the Dubs as well.
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