Warriors don’t want to trade Podziemski and Kuminga amid Markkanen rumors

If the Golden State Warriors want to trade Lauri Markkanen, they won’t necessarily want to give up Brandin Podziemski or Jonathan Kuminga.

Warriors governor Joe Lacob told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic that they “don’t want to give up on either player” after they emerged as key players for the team last season.

Markkanen has been a popular candidate for a trade for some time now, even though there is no indication that the Utah Jazz want to trade him.

In the last episode of Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast (starts at (34:20) ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said the Jazz don’t appear to be actively looking to sell Markkanen and that they would only trade him if they got an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Depending on what the Jazz think about their long-term plans, Markkanen could be one of the most sought-after trade candidates during the 2024-25 season. He’s playing on an expiring $18 million contract, though he’ll be eligible to sign an extension starting Aug. 6.

That date becomes important because if Markkanen signs an extension on August 7 or later, he will not be eligible for a trade until the following offseason. League rules dictate a six-month waiting period after a new deal is signed. The trade deadline for next season is February 6.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported earlier this week that Kuminga would be the player Golden State would most likely include “in a Markkanen trade — or some other big deal” instead of Podziemski.

Stein noted that the Warriors’ offers for Markkanen thus far have been based on Moses Moody and draft compensation, with neither Podziemski nor Kuminga receiving an offer.

Kuminga is in an interesting position because he is eligible for an extension after the best season of his career. The 21-year-old could sign a deal worth $224 million over five years. He averaged career highs in scoring (16.1 points), field-goal percentage (52.9) and rebounding (4.8) in 74 games last season.

Podziemski, the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, became a key rotation player for head coach Steve Kerr as a rookie, averaging 9.2 points on 38.5 percent three-point shooting and 5.8 rebounds per game in 74 appearances.