Utah Jazz Exec Touts Lauri Markkanen as 'One-of-One' in Key Area

While it was another season for Lauri Markkanen with the Utah Jazz in which he may not have played in the capacity that either he or fans would've hoped for, it was a campaign that might've come together as one of his best yet in terms of his raw production in the pros.

In the limited 42-game sample size he appeared in, Markkanen averaged 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 47.7% from the field and 35.5% from three. He finished the year as Utah's second-leading scorer behind Keyonte George despite playing in a little over half of the games.

Such a year sets up for an even more exciting one that is expected to be on the horizon for 2026-27. And that same bubbling energy is certainly brewing for Jazz president Austin Ainge, who had a ton of good things to say about Markkanen and his playstyle during a recent interview on KSL Sports Zone.

Most notably, he considered a particular area of his game one-of-one when compared to anyone else in the league: someone who has the off-ball movement and shooting abilities like Markkanen at his outstanding size.

"Lauri is so good. He's such an amazing player," Ainge said. "He came in in amazing shape, coming off a good run with Team Finland in the summer, and just hit the ground running. His ability to shoot on the move and move without the ball at his size is one-of-one."

"I don't know of anyone else that plays like J.J. Redick, Klay Thompson, Steph Curry at 7 feet tall. It's incredible; the energy, the movement, and the shot-making... He's a special talent, and we're very special to have him."

Lauri Markkanen = 7-Foot Steph Curry?

Of course, alluding to the Jazz forward as a 7-foot version of Steph Curry is a bit bullish on Ainge's behalf. But you can understand his thought process.

Markkanen is a versatile scorer from virtually anywhere on the floor, but has unmatched size with above-average movement skills that make him a potent threat on any given night.

And in the time that he was playing for the Jazz this season, albeit in a limited sample size, he paired it with career-high offensive numbers.

That unique skillset and ability to play off the ball and impact the half-court offense in multiple ways is why he projects to be a perfect fit within the Jazz's future core, and a bit of why Utah has been so previously adamant about building around him in the years to come, rather than using him as a trade piece.

Nov 30, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen. left, prepares for the game against the Houston Rockets with assistant coach Sean Sheldon, right, at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

No matter who surrounds Markkanen in the foreseeable future, he'll be able to find a strong, meaningful impact on the offensive end, with his shotmaking and versatility.

And perhaps most importantly, do so without being a ball-centric star; a trait that can be undervalued in today's game, but an area that the Jazz forward excels at.

Combining that with names like Keyonte George and Ace Bailey to complement him as more ball-dominant scorers, while Jaren Jackson Jr and Walker Kessler round out the frontcourt to raise their floor defensively, and the Jazz's core for next season starts to really come to form.

For Markkanen, having that stout supporting cast is bound to make for a breath of fresh air compared to the last four seasons. Depending on how big of a jump the Jazz expect to make next season, it could also inspire the right team success to allow for the Finnisher's first All-Star selection since his Most Improved Player campaign in 2022.

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