Report: Markkanen intends to delay signing Jazz contract extension originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
It doesn’t seem likely that Lauri Markkanen will play for the Warriors this season.
After weeks of trade rumors surrounding Golden State and the NBA All-Star forward, there could be some closure to the off-season saga this week.
Markkanen does not intend to sign a contract extension with the Utah Jazz before the Aug. 6 deadline, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported Monday, citing league sources. This means that if Markkanen signs a new contract with Utah after Tuesday’s deadline, he will not be eligible for trade to the Warriors or any NBA team this season.
“But if Markkanen waits to sign his new contract until Wednesday or later, Markkanen will not be eligible to be traded during the upcoming 2024-25 season,” Fischer wrote. “He would not be eligible to be traded for six months after his new deal, according to the collective bargaining agreement, which would fall one day after the Feb. 6 trade deadline…
“All indications, however, are that Markkanen intends to delay his signing for exactly this purpose, league sources told Yahoo Sports.”
Of course, there is no guarantee that Markkanen will sign an extension with Utah after the Aug. 6 trade deadline, and if he doesn’t, he could still be traded at any time before next season’s Feb. 6 trade deadline.
However, that is looking increasingly unlikely as Markkanen has expressed his desire to remain in Utah and the team has expressed their desire to build around him.
“We love being here”, Markkanen told reporters in his exit interview in April. “I’ve said this many times and my family enjoys being here.”
The Warriors are also reportedly still unwilling to include Sophomore guard Brandin Podziemski, who Utah is believed to covet, in any trade for Markkanen. So even if there’s still a chance Markkanen could be traded after August 6, it doesn’t appear Golden State is willing to meet Utah’s asking price.
