Warriors named landing spot for $238 million Jazz All-Star forward originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Golden State Warriors should be prepared to lose Kristaps Porzingis this summer after less than a full season.
The 7-foot-2 center is set to become an unrestricted free agent following the expiration of the two-year, $60 million contract extension he signed with the Boston Celtics in 2024, and could leave Golden State for a new deal elsewhere.
If the Warriors decide to let Porzingis walk, they could listen to Heavy’s Sean Deveney’s offseason trade suggestion and attempt to land the Utah Jazz’s 28-year-old star forward, who earned an All-Star nod in 2023.
“Now, the Dubs could seek to go back to the well on (Lauri) Markkanen,” Deveney wrote Sunday. “That’s because Utah has real concerns about its ability to sign and maintain the contracts of Markkanen, center WalkerKessler (who is a restricted free agent), and center/forward Jaren Jackson Jr.”
“The Jazz love how imposing that frontline could be–Kessler is 7-foot-2, Markkanen is 7-foot-1, and Jackson is 6-foot-10–but they fear how expensive it could be, too, especially if Kessler gets an offer in the $30 million range.”
“While letting Kessler walk has been considered the Jazz’s easiest path forward, moving Markkanen is not off the table.”
Markkanen has been on the Warriors’ radar before, but trade talks have never advanced to the point where a deal is on the horizon. Markkannen’s 2025-26 campaign with the Jazz was undoubtedly his best yet, as the Arizona product averaged 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game, shooting 47.7% from the field and 35.5% from long range.
Considering the Jazz’s frontcourt is becoming overcrowded, it isn’t preposterous to suggest the Warriors could potentially pull off a blockbuster deal for the prototypical stretch four who deserves to be a part of a competitive environment in his late 20s.
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