Jazz CEO Danny Ainge Hints to F Lauri Markkanen's Future in SLC

Utah Jazz fans got some bread crumbs regarding Lauri Markkanen's future in SLC.

There are many moving parts regarding the Utah Jazz roster heading into the offseason. The front office has sent mixed messages to their fan base on which path is best moving forward.

The one clear thing is that the chances of Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen signing an extension this summer are high. During his year-end press conference, Jazz CEO Danny Ainge hinted that Markkanen could be suiting up in a Jazz uniform beyond his current contract.

“I think it's clear that Lauri Markkanen is a pretty good player," Ainge said. "We love him. We'd like to have him around “

Ainge's statement is good news to Jazz fans, who are ready for Utah to put its best foot forward heading into next season. There was speculation that Utah could tank the 2024-25, considering the 2025 draft class is a projected stacked group. However, this doesn't mean the Jazz front office won't pull the plug at the trade deadline as they have done in the previous two years.

That said, what's next for Markkanen? Utah has its best player under club control through the 2025-26 season, but if Ainge's comments are correct, we can anticipate a contract extension this summer. If Utah waits, they run the risk of losing Markkanen when he becomes a free agent in the summer of 2025

So, if Markkanen and Collin Sexton are a part of the starting five, then Utah finds itself in the same situation as the past two years. They're too good to bottom out for a top-five draft pick but not good enough to make some noise in the playoffs.

The time might be right to use some of the draft capital acquired in the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert trades to build around Markkanen. This may not put them in contention for a championship, but it does take Utah out of the tanking conversation. The Jazz playing meaningful late-season basketball could be one trade away.

With teams like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers aging, it might be a good time for Utah to take an aggressive step forward. Stay tuned. 

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