Lauri Markkanen Sets High Expectations for Utah Jazz This Season

The Utah Jazz head into the 2026-27 season in a bit of a different situation from where they have been through the past four years.

That's because they have a pretty talented roster to bank on heading into the new season; almost certainly their best group of players since they first hit the start button on their rebuild process in 2022.

Between the All-Star, former Defensive Player of the Year addition of Jaren Jackson Jr., the selection of Darryn Peterson in this summer's draft, and continued development from young pieces like Keyonte George and Ace Bailey, it's hard not to be excited about what the Jazz might look like this season.

For Jazz star forward Lauri Markkanen, that excitement has certainly carried over in his direction. And based on his comments from media day earlier this week, he's clearly got some real expectations for how this team could inevitably perform.

What Lauri Markkanen Said About Jazz This Season

When Markkanen was asked about some of his expectations for the Jazz this season, there were a few key points of emphasis that were highlighted: he wants to be really competitive, make noise in the playoffs, and get better every day the team is in the building.

"I think our expectation is to be really competitive," Markkanen said on Monday. "Of course, we all want to make the playoffs and make noise in the playoffs. But we don't really talk about it every day. The vibes are high, we're having fun with each other. But when we step on the court, or [in the] weight room, or whatever, everybody’s being super locked in."

"That's what you sense when you walk into the building. Everybody's after the same goal. I'm sure we'll talk about it tomorrow when we start camp; where we want to be and stuff. But, I think the emphasis right now is really staying locked in when we're in this building."

Lauri Markkanen on the Jazz's expectations for this season:

🗣️ "I think our expectation is to be really competitive. Of course we all want to make the playoffs... And that's always the goal."

"But we don't really talk about it every day... Everybody's after the same goal." pic.twitter.com/E5Jw4TNI1Y
— Utah Jazz On SI (@JazzOnSI) September 29, 2026

Markkanen is sure to be more motivated than ever to make a push into that coveted postseason picture.

Through the past nine years that Markkanen has been in the league, he still hasn't been able to log a playoff appearance, despite being one of the more talented offensive-focused players in the NBA for some time now.

But this season tends to feel a little different when it comes to how Markkanen's season might end up panning out––in a good way.

Feb 1, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) dribbles the ball as Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9) defends in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Jazz have a ton of young talent they've been developing for multiple seasons now, have made strides on the defensive side of the ball, and clearly have everyone that's in the building on the same page with one another.

When combining that aligned mindset with the sheer talent the Jazz have on the floor, it makes it easy for Markkanen to imagine how his fit on this year's roster could be pretty successful, and lead to a lot of wins in the process.

"I think we have a lot of firepower with other guys around me as well, so that's going to open up stuff for me," Markkanen continued. "I think that having a lot of talented guys, like, everybody needs to sacrifice, whatever amount that is. But, everybody's got to make sacrifices, to get the other guys open, and get the other guys the ball."

"I'm really excited to see what we have here starting tomorrow. But I’m looking forward to bringing what I can to the table, really be aggressive, run the floor, and try and get some easy ones, but also acknowledging there's going to be some stuff we're doing differently."

Lauri Markkanen on how the Jazz's roster changes impact his game:

🗣️ "We have a lot of firepower, so that's going to open up stuff for me."

"I'm looking forward to bringing what I can to the table, but also acknowledging there's going to be some stuff we're doing differently." pic.twitter.com/TzzhFFDdfn
— Utah Jazz On SI (@JazzOnSI) September 29, 2026

The buzz is slowly beginning to generate on just how much different this Utah team might look this year compared to the past several.

And based on Markkanen's comments and overall confidence, that increasing hype tends to be building both inside and outside the Jazz's facility. So that's a pretty good sign of what's to come in the weeks ahead.

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