With the growing belief that Lauri Markkanen will sign an extension to remain with the Utah Jazz, the next question for the Golden State Warriors lands on who could become their next trade target.
Still armed with a bunch of talented young players, the majority of their future picks and new-found financial flexibility, the Warriors could theoretically get into the hunt for any player that becomes available.
Despite not being trade eligible, Jonas Valanciunas is already in discussions as a potential target for the Golden State Warriors
One player that’s already drawing trade conversations is Jonas Valancuinas, with an NBA executive telling Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports that the Washington Wizards will shop the 6’11” big man by January despite only just signing him to a three-year, $30.3 million contract last month.
The contrasting timelines between the rebuilding Wizards and the 32-year-old Valancuinas certainly was perplexing when he signed, and an obvious indication that he’ll become a trade candidate once eligible in September.
Along with the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, the Warriors were also seen by the anonymous executive as a potential Valancuinas destination “if the Lauri Markkanen thing does not work out.”
Valancuinas is a solid player who’s been a starter for almost all of his 12-year career, but pivoting from Markkanen to him would be an underwhelming alternative for Golden State who are looking for a second offensive star.
The former Pelicans center can be regarded as a better player than Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney, but is he actually a better option for the Warrior system which certainly doesn’t prioritize low-post scoring opportunities for their big men?
Valancuinas would provide an element of extending out to the three-point line, yet teams aren’t overly guarding him as someone who’s shot 34.8% on less than one attempt from beyond the arc in his career. He averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists with the Pelicans last season, shooting 55.9% from the floor.
Golden State have scarcely ever wanted to spend big on their centers either — not that an average salary of $10 million is a whole lot by today’s NBA climate, but barring the addition of a star-caliber, significant difference-making kind of big man, you suspect they’d be happy with Jackson-Davis as the primary option making just $6.5 million total over the next three seasons.
It’s the sort of move that would be helpful but not needle-moving for the Warriors, and given the Wizards aspiration for at least one first-round pick according to the executive, it’s probably unwise for them to make a trade like this once eligible.
