NBA Trades: Warriors, Jazz meet in middle on NBA-shifting mock Lauri Markkanen deal

Why this trade makes sense for the Golden State Warriors

Admittedly, the Golden State Warriors are giving up a lot in this deal. And there may be a portion of the fan base that may not see the value of essentially cashing out all their draft capital on a player that perhaps may not be viewed as a unanimous superstar player across the league. However, if the Warriors do believe that adding Markkanen to their core of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will make them a contender, and there's no reason to believe that he won't, this is a deal that does hold value.

Even though losing Kuminga would hurt the Warriors, they would be adding a premier frontcourt replacement in Markkanen. And with the additions of Buddy Hield and De'Anthony Melton in free agency, the Warriors could probably get away with losing Gary Payton II and Moses Moody in the deal.

There could also be concerns about losing all their tradable future first-round picks but if the Warriors are going to prioritize winning an NBA Championship over the next 2-3 seasons, that's something they could worry about later.

In theory, if the Warriors believe this is a move that's going to elevate them to championship status in the Western Conference, this is a strong "middle ground" offer that they should be willing to make.