NBA Mock Trade: Lauri Markkanen Would Fuel a Spurs Title Run, Jazz Continue Re-Build
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The NBA Trade Deadline is creeping up on us and as we see on a yearly basis, the NBA Trade Market can be a madehouse. Many players look like they are on the way out, including Trae Young and Jonathan Kuminga. Another player that may go is Lauri Markkanen. Today, we will mock a trade scenario that could well play out in a perfect storm. Please remember, this is a mock trade and lacks any real credibility.
Fantasy Basketball Impact
Lauri Markkanen is playing like such an All-Star this season, it's not even funny
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) January 4, 2026
Here are all of his made field goals last night
He was dominant in the paint. The Warriors didn't have a great answer early on pic.twitter.com/uvsP8XSEfl
Before we get to the fun part, we must weigh the impact of a Markkanen trade.
Markkanen is a key player on the Jazz. He is 2nd in Usage Rate and 1st in %Points. By losing him, they pivot off of his contract and look to flexibility for the future. Who this would benefit would be rookie, Ace Bailey, and Kyle Filipowski as the new core big-man. If he can get healthy, Walker Kessler also trends very highly. Essentially, every Jazz player may see a volume increase.
In this trade, Markkanen will become a San Antonio Spur. They could use a big-man to pair with Victor Wembanyama, and Markkanen would do it well. His volume may dip from his current load but, one a better team, he may be a better Fantasy Basketball asset. Time would tell, but the move in quite lateral.
Mock Trade Details
Spurs Receive: Lauri Markkanen
Jazz Receive: 2 Future 1st Round Picks, Keldon Johnson, Kelly Olynyk, Jeremy Sochan
Why the Spurs Say Yes?
The Spurs are in a position perfect for a gamble. They are plenty good to compete for an NBA Title already. The one thing that they are missing is a key big-man to compliment Wembanyama. In this deal, they get it.
By making this trade, the Spurs also fend off expiring contracts in Olynyk and Sochan. This bodes well for their future as they can make a run now, and the expiring contracts do little for their title-winning window. Teams with expiring contracts can make these moves, and the Spurs do it.
Why the Jazz Say Yes?
The Jazz are not setup to win an NBA Title anytime soon. That means that a rebuild needs to continue progressing. To do that, the Jazz ought to sell off long-term commitments for short-term ones. Markkanen will not make-or-break the future of this team. By sending him away, and taking on expiring contracts, they free up flexibility going forward. This team needs picks and cap space to use into 2026. This does that, and benefits both sides in the process.
Every NBA player with a 25%+ chance to be traded before the deadline, per Kalshi:
— Kalshi Sports (@KalshiSports) January 6, 2026
89% — Trae Young
82% — Jonathan Kuminga
70% — CJ McCollum
48% — Anthony Davis
45% — Michael Porter Jr.
45% — Kyle Kuzma
45% — Chris Paul
43% — Zach LaVine
41% — Klay Thompson
34% — RJ Barrett
27% —… pic.twitter.com/dIanIflbbf
Current Trade Likelihood: Per Kalshi, Lauri Markkanen has a 18% chance of being traded by the deadline.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.