Warriors target Markkanen signs five-year, $238 million deal with Jazz, per agent originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors now know how much it would cost to lock up Laura Markkanenif they had been able to complete a trade for the NBA All-Star forward on Tuesday.
Markkanen signed a five-year, $238 million contract with the Utah Jazz, Michael Lelchitski of SIG Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday morning.
The deal is considered a renegotiation and extension because Markkanen and the Jazz reworked his 2024-25 salary as part of the deal.
The 27-year-old was scheduled to make $18 million in the final year of his contract, but the Jazz added $24 million in the new deal, according to Wojnarowski.
Additionally, Markkanen will make $196 million over the next four seasons.
In total, the 2017 No. 7 overall pick gets $220 million in new money and keeps him in Utah for the long term.
Utah Jazz All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen has signed a five-year, $238 million contract renegotiation and extension — including $220 million in new money, his agent Michael Lelchitski of @SIGSportos says ESPN. pic.twitter.com/dFx6pIc2nV
-Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 7, 2024
Markkanen became extension eligible on Tuesday, and had he signed a deal immediately, the Jazz would have had the option to trade him at the Feb. 6, 2025, NBA trade deadline.
But for waiting for a day to finish contract, Markkanen cannot be traded during the 2024-25 NBA season. If the Jazz still want to move him, they will have to wait until next offseason.
The Warriors were enamored with the idea of adding Markkanen and reportedly made the “most aggressive” offer for the Jazz, but in the end the teams were unable to match the right compensation.
Utah reportedly wanted second-year NBA guard Brandin Podziemski included in the deal, a price Golden State was unwilling to pay.
The Warriors reportedly offered a package centered around fourth-year NBA guard Moses Moody, future first-round draft picks and draft pick swaps.
Markkanen addressed the trade rumors in an interview with Wojnarowski.
“A weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I can only focus on one main thing now: playing basketball at a high level,” Markkanen told Wojnarowski. “I don’t stress about it, but you can’t pretend you don’t hear these things. It feels good knowing I’ll be in Utah.”
O The warriors must now move forward with the roster they have — led by Steph Curry and Draymond Green — after losing Markkanen this week and All-Star forward Paul George earlier in the offseason.
If Podziemski and fourth-year NBA forward Jonathan Kuminga make considerable strides this season, losing Markkanen won’t be as painful.
