Report: Warriors eyed PG13, Markkanen pairing in offseason blockbuster originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
It was no secret that the Warriors wanted to make a big move — or two — this offseason.
Yes, Golden State tried to get Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers before the veteran forward later opted out and signed a massive contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. And yes, the Warriors also tried to get punter 7-foot forward Lauri Markkanen up front he signed a lucrative contract extensioneliminating any chance of a trade before or during the 2024-25 NBA season.
However, it seems there was more to the Warriors’ offseason plan than meets the eye.
Golden State not only pursued George and Markkanen, but wanted to acquire both — yes, both — players in what was initially the organization’s Plan A this offseason, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported Tuesday in his feature story on Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy.
“When Dunleavy held the draft to Curry and Green, Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen wasn’t Plan B. He was a subset of Plan A,” Slater wrote. “The Warriors wanted both wings — believing that George’s waiver threat would allow them to protect the required assets to lure Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, and Markkanen’s reasonable $18 million salary could make the finances work.
Bringing not only George or Markkanen, but both stars would have changed the roster and organization of the Warriors drastically.
While neither move ultimately worked out, a starting five featuring some combination of at least Steph Curry, Paul George, Lauri Markkanen and Draymond Green would have certainly made for a lethal lineup and likely propelled Golden State back into championship contention.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, their Plan A — or Plan B — never materialized.
