Warriors' substantial offer for Steph Curry's new co-star faces challenges

The Golden State Warriors’ aggressive quest to find a new co-star for Stephen Curry is facing some challenges.

According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the Warriors have a substantial offer for former All-Star Lauri Markkanen.

But that might not be enough.

“Golden State has an offer on the table and it’s a substantial one (for Lauri Markkanen). I think the offers are heavily based on picks… What complicates things is the Warriors only have two unprotected picks, plus a protected first-round pick,” Jones said on 95.7 The Game on July 5.

Jones said the Warriors are competing with the Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs. The Miami Heat are also reportedly interested, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe.

The Warriors are limited to just two unprotected picks (2025 and 2027 or 2026 and 2028) and one protected pick in 2030. Since they already owe the Washington Wizards their 2030 first-round pick if it falls outside the top 20 (in the Chris Paul trade), the Warriors can add that pick to their offer to the Jazz if it falls in the top 20.

Further complications over a possible Lauri Markkanen trade

The Jazz are considering their offers but it appears they are waiting for a sponsorship offer that will blow them away, similar to the Mikal Bridges deal the Brooklyn Nets received from the New York Knicks.

However, NBA insider Marc Stein noted in his July 5 Substack newsletter the difference between the Jazz and Nets’ circumstances with Bridges and Markkanen.

“More than one contending team has pointed out that it would be difficult for the Jazz to trade him in the short term — even if they wanted to — because Markkanen is entering the final season of his current deal for just $18 million. That obviously complicates the Jazz’s efforts to get a trade package for Markkanen on the level of Brooklyn’s for Mikal Bridges when Markkanen isn’t under team control for more than a season and his salary is relatively low. They have a much better chance of getting a Bridges-style deal loaded with future draft picks like New York has agreed to provide the Nets if Markkanen, 27, signs an extension,” Stein wrote.

It’s up to the Jazz to extend Markkanen’s contract. But there’s a catch: They’ll have to wait until August 6. And once that date hits, Markkanen won’t be tradeable for six months.

“Next season’s trade deadline is Feb. 6, which is eight days before the start of All-Star Weekend (Feb. 14-16) in San Francisco,” Stein wrote.

“Translation: It appears, after checking with the league office, that Markkanen would only be eligible for a trade for one day next season – Feb. 6 and Feb. 6 only – if an extension is negotiated immediately with the Jazz on Aug. 6. If an extension occurs on Aug. 7 or later, Markkanen would not be eligible for a trade until the end of the 2024-25 season,” Stein explained.

Warriors can’t afford to lose another year

Curry isn’t getting any younger. He’s 36 and will be entering his 16th NBA season.

The Warriors have been active this offseason, replacing Chris Paul and Klay Thompson with D’Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield.

Melton is a gritty defender who can guard opposing guards while possessing decent playmaking and shooting. Anderson is a Swiss Army knife whose versatility and high basketball IQ have helped the Minnesota Timberwolves turn around over the past two seasons. Hield, who has shot 40 percent from three-point range in his career, will replace Thompson on the outside.

Yet despite their arrival, the Warriors still lack an elite secondary playmaker who can ease Curry’s burden.

That is why they actively pursued Markkanen.

“I think if you put (Markkannen) with Golden State, you make (the Warriors) a title contender for the next two to three years,” Jones said on Sactown Sports 1140 on July 3. “Because you look at the movement of that offense and you look at the gravity of Stephen Curry, if you look at Lauri Markkanen, you know he’s going to get a ton of open looks.”

Markkanen, 27, is just entering his prime. He followed up his Most Improved Player and All-Star season in 2022-23 with 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game last season.

The Finnish big man is a capable 3-point shooter, shooting 37.5 percent on 6.6 attempts.