The more the Golden State Warriors struggle, the dumber they look for not acquiring Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz when they had the chance. There are very few reasons to justify such a decision. Still, the only way the Warriors could actually make up for it is by trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo, which may now be on the table.
NBA Insider Jake Fischer harped on this when discussing potential Giannis destinations following all the drama going on in Milwaukee at the moment.
"Sources say Golden State, furthermore, has never been close to this point to putting both Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski in the same trade conversation — refusing to do so in their June (and July) 2024 talks with Utah for Lauri Markkanen — just in case the chance emerged to package them both for Antetokounmpo or some other major, major fish.
"The Warriors have likewise been reluctant to consider win-now, all-in moves that would require them to trade away Draymond Green, but Antetokounmpo in all likelihood would change that equation for Golden State's brass," Fischer wrote.
Markkanen would have been perfect for the Warriors' system as a floor spacing big man who can score in a variety of ways. Giannis is one of the few players who would have fit better with the Warriors because, well, he's Giannis. There are currently very few teams he could play for where he wouldn't be the best player.
Should Golden State pull off a trade like that, they would then be justified not to get Markkanen.
That is, if the Warriors can get Giannis
Because of who Giannis is, even if he's dealing with yet another calf injury that will keep him out, he is a player that every team in the NBA should covet when they get the chance. Even if the Warriors were to be in the mix, they would be competing against teams that should have pretty rich offers for the two-time MVP.
That's why it's hard to see how they could pull the deal off. Kuminga and Podziemski, along with the most draft assets, are not a terrible package, but it's not hard to see another team topping it. If the Jazz wanted to, they could absolutely beat that offer without a second thought.
Golden State has reeled in the big fish before, but the last time they really did that was almost a decade ago when they signed Kevin Durant. If they can get their hands on Giannis, that would make many forget that they passed on getting Markkanen, but because of the seemingly low likelihood of that happening, odds are Giannis won't go to the Bay, and if the Warriors don't win a title in the near future, passing on a Markkanen trade will only continue to loom large.