Grade the trade idea: Warriors ship out All-Star for Markkanen in blockbuster move
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The Golden State Warriors are playing the waiting game on Lauri Markkanen. With little in the way of desirable alternatives, the franchise appear comfortable of holding out until August 6 when more clarity will be known on the future of the Utah Jazz forward.
If the Warriors wish to pry Markkanen out of Utah, it's already acknowledged that it's going to take a significant haul of assets. The franchise may not be able to come to terms with the Jazz directly, requiring a third team to get involved to complete the deal.
Could the Cleveland Cavaliers be the third team to unlock a blockbuster trade that sees the Golden State Warriors get Lauri Markkanen?
Brett Siegel of Clutch Points reported earlier in the week that the Warriors could look to deal former All-Star Andrew Wiggins in order to obtain more draft assets to on-trade to the Jazz for Markkanen. The issue with that is that Wiggins' value is low around the league, and therefore it's difficult to envisage a team giving up anything of substance to take on the remaining years of his contract.
Responding to the report, Locked on Warriors podcast host Kylen Mills suggested the Cleveland Cavaliers as a team that could have interest in adding Wiggins as a three-and-D type of wing.
"One that I look at is the Cavs. The Cavs need a defensive wing. They're a team that already has a couple of elite scorers, he's not going to be one taking the ball out of Donovan Mitchell's hands or something like that. They're a team that are in that contender range where I think they would maybe say, 'hey, we're willing to give up a couple future drafts picks in order to bring in what we feel like is a void.'"
- Kylen Mills
This makes a lot of sense, though it's still difficult to see the Cavaliers giving up multiple assets based on Wiggins' recent form. However, their interest may be piqued enough to give up something that could also appease the Jazz.
Let's evaluate a potential deal between the three teams, one that would be labelled a blockbuster trade involving six players and a boatload of future draft capital: