Warriors Have ‘Best Package’ for Former NBA Most Improved Player
The Golden State Warriors are the only remaining suitor aggressively pursuing the 2023 NBA Most Improved Player Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
“They are in this Lauri Markkanen stalled hunt basically. I think they’re probably the premier team that has had the best package on the table. If Lauri Markkanen had been traded at this point, I think we all agree it would be the Warriors,” Slater said on the Warriors Plus-Minus podcast with Marcus Thompson II on July 11.
Then Slater went on to eliminate all other reported teams who pursued a Markkanen trade.
“The [Sacramento] Kings have bowed out. The [San Antonio] Spurs don’t seem as thirsty. [Oklahoma City] — that’s one of the biggest things that has happened to the Warriors. OKC has pivoted. They’ve gone [Alex] Caruso, they’ve gone [Isaiah Hartenstein] and their team is a little bit set particularly their future money. It feels like it’s down to the Warriors. The Warriors or stay with the Jazz.”
The Kings came close to a Markkanen deal, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, before they pivoted to DeMar DeRozan via sign-and-trade with the Chicago Bulls.
On the other hand, the Spurs have already added veteran forward Harrison Barnes in that DeRozan three-team deal with the Kings.
