The Golden State Warriors might have to wait longer to recruit Lauri Markkanen to their team.
ESPN reporter Bobby Marks said on Monday that the seven-foot forward might likely stay put with the Utah Jazz, at least based on how things go right now in the offseason.
Markkanen was said to be the star the Golden State Warriors were looking to trade for after they let Klay Thompson move to the Dallas Mavericks.
“The tea leaves are pointing to him re-signing in Utah,” Marks said on NBA Today.
Markkanen, who is now in the last season of his four-year, $67.5 million contract he signed when he was still with the Cleveland Cavaliers, can begin negotiating for a contract extension on Aug. 6.
The Jazz expressed their intent to revolve their lineup around Markkanen, easily making him their new superstar.

Golden State Warriors’ current salary room
Marks further detailed what could be next for the Warriors if they are not able to land Markkanen in a trade, at least this offseason.
“They’re only $533,000 below the first apron,” Marks further said on NBA Today.
For beginners, the first apron refers to the salary room limit for NBA teams to adhere to to avoid some penalties aside from the consequences they could get after exceeding the luxury tax threshold.
The salary cap is set at $140.588 million for the upcoming season, while the luxury tax threshold is $170.814 million.
The first apron is set at $178.132 million, and while it does not prevent teams from exceeding it, they could be penalized heavily if their total payroll exceeds it.

Aside from paying the NBA financial penalties per dollar that exceed the luxury tax threshold, teams that exceed the first apron are not allowed to acquire a player through a sign-and-trade if they remain above the apron after the acquisition is completed, limited to 110 percent in terms of salary matching in trades, and not allowed to sign a free agent during the regular season if his previous salary was above the $12.2 million midlevel exception.
This is why the Golden State Warriors would rather trade for Markkanen immediately than wait for his current contract to end or for what cost the Jazz would give him in his contract extension.
With Utah being too serious now about making Lauri Markkanen their main man, expect the team to give him a megabucks extension that would make it harder for Golden State to pluck him away from Salt Lake City.
If the Warriors go for Markkanen much later, the worst-case scenario is that they might go above the second apron, which means more penalties for them.

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