The Utah Jazz are expected to be in the NBA Draft lottery for the third consecutive season, as the franchise seems to slowly build towards a contending unit. Lauri Markkanen has emerged as an All-Star already, with the 27-year-old attracting interest around the NBA. Markkanen himself is in no rush to be moved to a contender, as Tony Jones reports that both Lauri and the Jazz are committed to winning a title.
“Yes, Lauri is fine. The Jazz have talked to him and kept him in the loop every step of the way. Lauri wants to win a championship. The Utah Jazz want to win a championship. They are on the same page.”
A tanking season would be rough for Lauri, who’s yet to play an NBA Playoff game in his career despite being drafted in 2016. He averaged 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds last season, proving his debut season with the Jazz wasn’t a fluke. He’s a solidified wing scorer who is seven-foot tall and versatile, an archetype that isn’t easy to find.
Markkanen is expected to be the next big name to possibly be traded, with teams calling the Jazz about a possible trade. Given the price the Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges for, the Jazz believe their star forward should fetch a higher return due to his proven All-Star credentials.
Acquiring Lauri won’t be easy, as it’s an offer that’ll have to compel the Jazz to accept it. Otherwise, another tanking season is something Lauri will make his peace with as long as the Jazz offer him a max contract extension at the end of the year.
Should The Jazz Cash In While The Value Is High?
The trade market being the way it is, the Jazz possesses the last salary-controlled star piece in the NBA who could be available via trade. Markkanen is making just $17 million this season, even though it’s the final year of his contract. Given the new apron restrictions, a win-now team would be incentivized to pay a high price to get him on their roster at that price, even for one season.
Teams will worry about affording to pay him later, but that’s an issue they can contend with after they actually improve. The names most linked with him right now are teams like the Warriors, Kings, and Spurs.
The Warriors could offer multiple picks and Jonathan Kuminga as a star young player with a high ceiling, but it seems the team is unwilling to give Kuminga up along with players like Moses Moody. The Kings have been the closest in ironing out a deal for Markkanen, with Harrison Barnes’ contract lining up, though the pick cost has been hard to match.
The Spurs would make a lot of sense, as it allows them to show Victor Wembanyama that they want to win now, and they are young enough to afford to give Lauri his next contract without hamstringing future movability.
Teams like the 76ers should also be interested, as the Clippers picks they received last year in the James Harden trade should have renewed value. They’re looking to dump Paul Reed and could go all-out to make Markkanen their starting power forward.
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