Grade the Trade: Warriors land Markkanen in expensive blockbuster pitch

The Golden State Warriors are stuck in limbo.

Some trades in the NBA come out of nowhere; think of the Mikal Bridges deal from earlier this summer. There was very little chatter about that trade and suddenly it was announced that the New York Knicks had landed the fourth horseman of the Villanova.

Others are slow burns, rumored and discussed and poked and prodded for weeks before they take place. That's how the Anthony Davis trade to the Lakers felt, for example, as the two sides negotiated back and forth until the deal was finally punched through.

Those slow trades are far from certain, however, which is why the situation remains tense. The Miami Heat were assumed to be the team to land Damian Lillard for months before the Milwaukee swooped in and stole him. It was a similar story for Donovan Mitchell and the New York Knicks, with the Cleveland Cavaliers instead landing the dynamic guard.

The Warriors are feeling pressure

The Warriors may be the current frontrunner for a Lauri Markkanen trade, but that doesn't mean they are anywhere close to assured of eventually landing the All-Star forward. Utah could decide to keep Markkanen (perhaps the most likely outcome at this point), delay the deal further by signing him to an extension on August 6th, or another team could still swoop in and trump the Warriors' offer.

Golden State needs this trade, however; not at all costs, but if they are going to make this season relevant for Stephen Curry they need a legitimate second scoring threat to play alongside him. Markkanen is not the kind of can't-miss superstar you move heaven and earth to land, but he may represent the Warriors' last opportunity to trade for a star this year.

As rumors fly about what the current offer is from the Warriors and what the asking price is for the Jazz, let's look at one potential trade package and see whether it makes sense for both sides.