Warriors to “spread fear” and sign their new Stephen Curry No. 2

If there’s one thing the Warriors are missing now that the dust has settled from an eventful start to the 2024 NBA free agency period, it’s a player that other opponents will really be worried about before a game — aside from Stephen Curry, of course. Klay Thompson’s departure was expected and was probably necessary for both sides in the end. But with all due respect to Jonathan Kuminga, losing Thompson robs the Warriors of the only player capable of a 40-point outburst on any given night.

The Warriors have tried to replace Thompson with numbers, passing up the opportunity to acquire Josh Green from the Mavericks in the Thompson sign-and-trade and instead opting for veterans Buddy Hield, De’Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson.

Each of them has a unique skill set and a glaring Achilles heel. Hield is an elite shooter who doesn’t defend. Melton is a top-notch 3-and-D guard. Anderson is an excellent passer and playmaker who doesn’t make plays for himself and has a professional aversion to shooting.

Combined with the Warriors’ strong, up-and-coming young players, the Warriors have a slew of supporting players for Curry. But they don’t have a true No. 2. And according to CBS Sports, their best bet at getting one is to complete their pursuit of Jazz star Lauri Markkanen with a trade that brings him to the Bay Area.

Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy receives praise

CBS analyst Brad Botkin had good things to say about the performance of GM Mike Dunleavy, who had the difficult task of succeeding Bob Myers while also facing an overburdened payroll that needed to be contained.

Dunleavy has done that, and the Warriors should be competitive despite losing Thompson – and Chris Paul – in free agency without returning players in return.

But, Botkin wrote, the Warriors still need to put a top-notch finish on that package: “Despite all of these smart moves Dunleavy has made to bolster the support staff, there’s still no one other than Curry who can strike real fear in opponents. But that could change at any time, as the Warriors are reportedly courting Utah’s Lauri Markkanen. If Dunleavy pulls off that trade, it’ll be a surefire summer in the Bay. …

“Markkanen, a versatile offensive player who is also great off the ball (perfect for playing with Curry and in Golden State’s system), would put the Warriors back in position to pursue a top-four finish and a potentially deep playoff run. Right now, without the Markkanen trade, SportsLine projects the Warriors to win 48 games in the 2024-25 season. That’s a two-win improvement, but a 48-34 record would have only secured a play-in spot last season.”

The transfer of Lauri Markkanen will not be cheap for the Jazz

Predictably, the Jazz have no plans to make it easy for potential suitors to sign Markkanen, an All-Star who averaged 23.9 points last year after winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award in 2023.

Markkanen is a 7’4″ player with long reach, and long reach is very valuable in the NBA, especially after the Celtics’ offensive dominance – they played with five outs, with each of them able to shoot the 3. A guy like Markkanen can turn a very good team into a real contender.

He shot 48% from the field and 39.9% from three-pointers and has the size and youth (he turned 27 in May) the Warriors want. He’s also affordable, at least in the short term. Markkanen is entering the final year of a four-year, $68 million contract he signed in 2021. He’s eligible for an extension, but the Warriors wouldn’t have to pay that until 2025-26.

It’s unlikely the Warriors can put together a package to get Markkanen without giving up two first-round picks and Kuminga, a player the Dubs have shown no interest in trading. The Warriors would turn a good offseason into a great one with Markkanen. But it’s still unlikely.