Lauri Markkanen Trade From Utah Jazz Remains a Long Shot

Could the Utah Jazz still find a trade for their franchise star, Lauri Markkanen, leading up to the NBA trade deadline that now sits just under a month away?

There's a slim possibility, but it seems like such an idea remains a long shot in the mind of insiders with a close watch on the league.

According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, the chance of a Markkanen trade is still in play, yet signs seem to point towards the Jazz continuing to build around their All-Star-level forward for the foreseeable future, while focusing on being more competitive come next season.

"The question asked most often about the Jazz around the league is whethe rLauri Markkanen, who is averaging a career-best 27.7 points per game, could be moved in a blockbuster trade," MacMahon wrote. "It's not impossible, but the asking price remains extremely high. Markkanen, 28, continues to be a major part of future plans for the Jazz, who hope to make a jump to playoff contention next season."

Lauri Markkanen Trade Still Possible, But Price is Steep

The Jazz have remained steadfast in their approach for a potential trade revolving around their franchise star, Markkanen, for the past couple of seasons, seemingly unwilling to bend on any deal that wouldn't be a major haul for their All-Star talent, who has now begun to put together an even better season than his best campaign in 2023 when he took home the NBA's Most Improved Player award.

Now that he's putting together some of the best numbers he's ever seen in the NBA, that unwillingness to ship out Markkanen has only heightened, and for now until the trade deadline, and perhaps further, seeing a blockbuster to send him out of Salt Lake City feels like a pretty unlikely scenario.

Jan 3, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

As MacMahon mentions, the chances aren't impossible, but the price tag has been one that's not been met for the past several months, and probably won't be for as long as he's averaging nearly 30 points per game, while the Jazz can also contend for a top spot in the lottery this offseason.

Instead, the more likely outcome remains that the Jazz will keep their franchise star onboard while on his contract extension signed in the summer of 2024, pair him next to the young and budding talent that is Keyonte George, Walker Kessler, Ace Bailey, and a hopeful top prospect from this upcoming draft, and potentially gun for a playoff spot in the Western Conference for the upcoming campaign beyond their current regular season slate.

And with the assets the Jazz currently have onboard the roster, there's a chance Utah could even add some external talent into the mix for next season to push that envelope further to compete, and have their best opportunity of ending their playoff drought come 2027.

That process, while an extended one, has been the goal of the Jazz brass all season long, and even further back to this past offseason. Unless an opposing team were to come up with an otherworldly offer for Markkanen, it'll likely be a plan that holds until this summer, where the front office can then laid out all their options on the table to see how to push forward.

But for Markkanen and his prospects of a trade, those chances appear to be slim at the current moment––so don't get your hopes up for the Jazz to finally make their long-rumored blockbuster.

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