The one storyline focused around the Golden State Warriors that has garnered attention has been their likely chase to acquire Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen. Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob was on the podcast “The TK Show” with Tim Kawakami where he spoke about the team and the difficulties there could be when trading for a player like Markkanen.
Lacob would say on the show that he believes that there are players out there that are “significant” where if they want to play for Golden State and the other team feels they have “the right package,” they are “going to keep trying” to make it happen.
“I think there are other names out there, that are significant players,” Lacob said. “That if they want to play for the Warriors and we felt we had the right package, and we can convince the other team, and the player, than they’re conceivable to do. We’re going to keep trying.”
Lacob talks Warriors being cautious with trades like for Markkanen
The one question Kawakami would ask Lacob is the hesitancy on the part of the Warriors to trade future first round picks for what would be a “significant player” like Markkanen as Utah is expecting to ask for a lot. Lacob would go into detail in how teams are being careful with what they trade nowadays due to the financial restrictions brought on by the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
“Again, any trades, one thing you can package is certainly players, another thing you can package is future draft compensation,” Lacob said. “I think all teams have to be careful in doing that, because with the new CBA, and the way things are, I mean it’s pretty scary to go naked and not having trades. There’s some teams in this league that don’t have any picks for the rest of the decade, essentially under their own control. I’m not saying that’s something you can’t do, or shouldn’t do ever, but you better be right if you do it.”
Lacob knows what Kawakami is “alluding to” with trade talks
Throughout the interview, Markkanen's name would not be mentioned straight up, but it was heavily implied since there is no doubt that he is the biggest star connected to the Warriors through trade rumors. Even Lacob would even say to Kawakami that “I know what you're alluding to” when discussing the topic of balancing out trading future assets and receiving a top notch star.
“It’s a balance, I think we have to balance,” Lacob said. “We would do it, we would spend all types of picks in a particular trade or players if we felt we were getting back something that was really great and that made sense, and was someone that’s the right age, and right cultural fit and also fit within the construct of the team. It’s possible, but I’ll consider it, and we’ll consider anything, all of these options, but I think you’re missing the real point, and I know what you’re alluding to, but you have to have two parties that are reasonably willing to do deals together that make sense for both sides.”
Last season, Markkanen averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 48 percent from the field. Golden State is looking to improve after finishing with a 46-36 record which put them 10th in the Western Conference where they were eliminated by the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament.
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