One after the other, this offseason is posing challenges to the Golden State Warriors and Joe Lacob against their wishes. The trade winds are already not kind to the Dubs, as he failed to sign Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers. However, it seems that the Dubs co-owner was in a grave dilemma since the Clippers asked for their 21-year-old elite wing, Jonathan Kuminga as per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Reportedly, the Warriors had already offered the Bay-area-based team their top brass from the roster and some picks. However, giving away Kuminga was too much, and they lost PG as he signed later with the Sixers during the early hours of his free agency.

But fate always knocks on the door till it opens, and the same happened with the Dubs as they got a new opportunity to land the Utah Jazz power forward Lauri Markkanen. As per NBC Sports’ Monte Poole, the 27-year-old Jazz player is the “No. 1 target” for the Warriors after Thompson’s exit. Well, it is complementary since the 2022-23 All-Star averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2 assists in the 2023-24 season. Along with shooting 39.9 percent from three last season, Markkanen fits perfectly with his stretch 4 role, adding the required abilities in Steve Kerr’s plays on the court after Thompson’s exit.

However, as expected, the Jazz front office won’t give away such an elite player to the Dubs without giving a soaring roster pain. As per ESPN’s Zach Lowe, “The Warriors, if they put everything in and that would include Kuminga, I think they could get Markannen.” Well, the young wingman has proven to be one of the best wingers in the NBA, averaging 20 points in the first half of the last season.

The exceptional growth as a winger to score and potentially defend the rim on a mediocre level makes him the perfect trade package for any other team. That’s why Kuminga is the first choice for most of the teams if they trade with the Dubs. Reportedly, even in January this year, the Dubs were in pursuit of Pascal Siakam as per Sportsnet. However, they did not go for it since the possibility of Kuminga entering the trade talks was visible. Even Lowe agreed that the Dubs winger is too good to be traded, commenting, “I don’t…I don’t…Kuminga is just really goddamn good. And I don’t know if that’s[trade] they would do. I guess time will tell. They’ve got picks, they’ve got young players and he’s[Kuminga] is the golden chip.”

For now, the Warriors have got the two second-round draft picks from the Dallas Mavericks that they from Thompson’s exit. Also, the deal included a trade exception for the Dubs. Joe Lacob can use these picks to lure Jazz for a trade of Lauri Markkanen. However, the anomalies are still expected to occur during trade talks as he has got Danny Ainge at the second end of the conversation. The 65-year-old Utah executive won’t let go of the Dubs’ owner for something in parallel or less than the first-round picks.

Though Lauri Markkanen is the most in-demand in the league, the Dubs are brewing the entrance of a veteran guard into their roster with the Philadelphia Sixers.

Before Lauri Markkanen, the Dubs can land the 31-year-old Buddy Hield

The Golden State Warriors definitely missed the Paul George trade; however, they can get the player that he is replacing at the Philadelphia 76ers. Though the Bahamian shooting guard is three younger than PG, he could fill up the three-point shooting vacancy on the Dubs roster. As per the Athletic insider Shams Charania, the Warriors are closing in on an agreement with sharpshooter Buddy Hield, and working on a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Putting Hield on the technical parameters, he is one of the best three-point shooters in the league. Although his shot percentage has dropped over the last two years as being dropped to 38.6% in comparison to 42.5%, a year before. Moreover, his scoring is not that much productive since he only averaged 12.1 points last season. But it’s much better, considering Hield is someone who knows his role on the team and performs accordingly for the roster.

Nevertheless, to get entrance points to the Warriors, Joe Lacob must determine the players that he will trade for Buddy Hield. For now, it’s unclear whom the Dubs will pick to strengthen their second lineup. Impressively, the Warriors have rebounded in a much better way after their offseason loss of key players. They have recruited De’Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson, and Hield is on the talks. Possibly, they might also land Lauri Markkanen, giving off their key player, Kuminga. It might be a bitter pill for Joe Lacob to swallow, but his roster needs upgrades to help Steph Curry, in the falling years of his prime to go for a championship run.

Moreover, one moves forward when it moves from the past, losing attachments with a head always held high for future developments. What’s your opinion on it after going through all the details? Is it will be okay for the Dubs to lose potentially elite player like Kuminga with much greater growth scope for immediate results? Let us know in the comments.

But before you go, be sure to check this video of Leonardo Armato’s take on the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe.