On Tuesday, Chris Haynes of TNT Sports said the Warriors were the “aggressors” in the hunt for Markkanen, but the Spurs were “also in the game.”

“It would really weaken the Warriors' roster if we tried to make that deal happen and get the Jazz to bite,” he said. “I'd be interested to see how they would do that. But you know, Danny [Ainge]he's hungry for first-round picks. What can the Warriors do to get the picks they need? … I'm told that the Warriors, more importantly, are really going for it and are really trying to figure out what they can do to get it done.”

Whether the Jazz are interested in signing Markkenen is another question entirely. Many reports suggest that the Jazz would need to be enticed with an offer they simply couldn't refuse.

There's a reason these teams seem to covet Markkanen. The 27-year-old has developed into one of the NBA's best stretch-4s, averaging 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and two assists on 39.9 percent three-point shooting last season. He was an All-Star in 2022-23 and has made great strides in his two seasons with the Jazz.

It's easy to see how he would fit with the Warriors, who could use another star alongside Stephen Curry after losing Klay Thompson in the offseason. Markkanen's ability to stretch the court would work well in Steve Kerr's offense, essentially replacing Thompson's impact at the 2 with a stretch 4.

The Kings, meanwhile, are looking for a third star to back up De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, with the Jazz likely wanting Keegan Murray in such a deal, which should give the Kings pause for thought. Murray is only 23, took a solid step forward last season (15.2 PPG) and has a career three-point shooting percentage of 38.4 percent.

The Kings have already had a busy and solid offseason, re-signing Malik Monk, drafting Devin Carter with the No. 13 pick and acquiring Jalen McDaniels in a trade. Signing Markkanen would take this offseason to a new level, but giving up Murray might be too high a price to pay.