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The Splash Brothers have split up, and the Golden State Warriors are trying to figure out what’s next. The first move, according to Shams Charania, is signing guard De’Anthony Melton to a one-year, $12.8 million contract (i.e. the non-taxpayer mid-level exception).
Melton is a nice fit. He’s an excellent defender, and he made 37.9% of his 3-point attempts in his two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. But he’s a complementary piece, and the Warriors would still like to acquire someone who will be more than that. Golden State needs someone who can take some of the pressure off of Stephen Curry, particularly now that Klay Thompson is (likely) off to Texas.
How does Lauri Markkanen sound?
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Golden State is “trying to be aggressive” on the trade market. One of its targets, reportedly, is Markkanen, a 27-year-old forward who stands 7 feet tall, made the All-Star Game in 2023 and has averaged 24.5 points on 63.6% true shooting in two years with the Utah Jazz.
“Utah’s not sure it wants to trade him, but they have to listen,” Wojnarowski said on SportsCenter. “They’ve been listening. And a lot of the teams who lost out on Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn have transferred over to trying to see if they can land Lauri Markkanen out of Utah. Golden State is one of those teams.”
Like Bridges, Markkanen can has shown that he can put up points but has the kind of game that complements high-usage playmakers. He made 41.4% of his catch-and-shot 3s last season, and Jazz coach Will Hardy moved him all over the court and put him in lots of different actions. The Warriors — and coach Steve Kerr specifically — would surely love to have a weapon like him at their disposal. But he won’t be cheap.
Also like Bridges, Markkanen is signed to a below-market contract. He’ll make $18 million this coming season, the last year of a four-year deal that he signed (as part of a sign-and-trade that sent him to the Cleveland Cavaliers) after a season in which the Chicago Bulls demoted and deemphasized him. Markkanen is eligible for an…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-trade-rumors-warriors-among-teams-trying-to-land-lauri-markkanen-after-klay-thompsons-departure/
Author : James Herbert
Publish date : 2024-07-01 21:17:53
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