Bill Simmons Adds Fuel to Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz Trade Rumors

When looking at what could lie ahead of this NBA offseason and the Utah Jazz, they could be primed as this summer's biggest wildcard team to watch out for, at least for Bill Simmons.

Simmons recently dove into a bit of some Jazz offseason chatter during the latest episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast, where he not only noted he's on "high alert" for what could come across the next few weeks, but also mentioned Lauri Markkanen's rumored availability around the league via trade.

"I'm on high alert with Utah," Simmons said. "Austin [Ainge] took that job. He had a quote in a press conference... where he was just like, 'Yeah, we're not tanking anymore.' It's, like, alright! And, around the league, people seem to feel like Markkanen isn't not available."

While it might take a strong package for any team to pry Markkanen away from the Jazz, it doesn't seem like the door is totally closed on a move coming to form, according to Simmons.

As the Jazz have a new voice atop the front office in Austin Ainge, it leaves an unpredictable sense about what could come for Utah over the course of this offseason. The newly-hired executive seems strong against the idea of a tanking season similar to last year's , even if that means making a move on Markkanen to make those goals happen.

Oct 29, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

During his last year in the mix for the Jazz following his record-breaking extension, Markkanen had a few ups and downs throughout the year, averaging 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists throughout 47 games. Still, it seems Utah would want a worthwhile return in return for their star forward in the event of a trade, and won't be shipping him out just for the sake of doing so.

Regardless, expect the Markkanen trade fire to continue burning across this offseason, and especially closer to the draft later this month where the landscape can really begin to heat up.

More Utah Jazz Content