Draymond happy Markkanen signed with Jazz after Warriors’ pursuit originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green is happy to see Lauri Markkanen get paid, even if it’s at the Warriors’ expense.
Golden State reportedly was aggressive in his effort to negotiate for Markkanen before the star striker signed a huge five-year, $238 million contract overtime with the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, eliminating any chance of him being traded before and during the 2024-25 NBA season.
On the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” the Warriors forward briefly discussed Markkanen’s contract and congratulated the big man on securing the scholarship.
“Families [Charania] is reporting that Lauri Markkanen is on the verge of signing a huge contract with the Utah Jazz, making him non-negotiable for next year upon signing this huge extension,” Green said. “I think this is great for the Utah Jazz. There was a lot of talk that they were going to move him… Danny Ainge is always up to something, I don’t know.
“So shout out to Lauri, grab your bag. I love seeing guys get paid.”
Green then appeared to reference the continued coverage of Markkanen trade sweepstakes in recent weeks, and after the Warriors passed up the opportunity to acquire him, is eager to put the rumors to rest.
“And yes, moving forward in sports media, because this has been talked about [about] …and it kept showing up in my Instagram algorithm,” Green added. “Like, don’t keep showing me this, I don’t want to keep seeing this. No, but shout out to Lauri, man.”
Ultimately, Markkanen didn’t land with the Warriors, but Green is still happy for the 7-footer.
