New Trade Rumor Links Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen
The rumors keep rolling in regarding the possibility of a Utah Jazz fire sale. The latest comes from the NBA correspondent Marc Stein of The Stein Line and the availability of Lauri Markkannen via trade.
Stein believes a couple of teams may make the Jazz a strong offer in an effort to pry the All-Star forward away from Salt Lake City.
Markkanen was a revelation last season after landing in Salt Lake City as part of the Donovan Mitchell trade in September 2022. He promptly became an All-Star in his maiden season with the Jazz — in Salt Lake City no less — and was routinely described as untouchable as last season's trade deadline approached.
While there has been no tangible evidence that Utah’s stance on Markkanen has changed, there is a rising belief heading into Showcase that a team or two out there is actively planning to test Utah's resolve this season by making an offer for the Finnish power forward.
This report is coming off the heels of Yahoo Sports Jake Fischer reporting that Markkanen is no longer ‘untouchable’. However, a franchise may have to overpay in order to get a deal done.
But Utah has indeed left opposing executives with the sense that Markkanen is no longer untouchable in trade conversations, league sources told Yahoo Sports, a tangible change from previous transaction windows. Markkanen will be eligible to negotiate and extend his current contract before its final season begins in 2024-25. And there’s a sentiment among cap strategists that Utah perhaps won’t consider Markkanen’s next salary point a worthwhile cost if the Jazz are so far from the playoff picture with Markkanen as their best player. But it would surely take a massive haul for some team to pry the 26-year-old from the Jazz.
The combination of Utah not being a playoff contender and CEO Danny Ainge running the show is creating quite a buzz in the rumor mill. Jazz fans can expect the rumblings to continue as we approach the February 8 trade deadline.
Not only Markkanen, but Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, Kelly Olynyk, Simone Fontecchio, and Talen Horton-Tucker could be packing their bags this season. That said, Markkanen is the least likely to go out of this bunch.
Replacing Utah’s best player in the draft would be no easy task. The ‘one in the hand is worth two in the bush’ approach makes the most sense, considering Utah is a tough draw in free agency. This is assuming that Markkanen is open to signing a long-term deal to stay in Salt Lake City.
Even with an extension, the Jazz are quite a ways from being considered a title contender. Where the roster stands, Utah will need to find a way to bring in a player better than Markkanen if it wants to compete for a championship.
If it were to ever happen, the most likely avenue would be through the NBA draft. Utah is in possession of three first-round picks in 2025. The 2025 draft class is projected to have some face-of-the-franchise talent available and may be the best shot of Utah landing a game-changer.
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