The San Antonio Spurs are reportedly interested in trading for Lauri Markkanen, according to Brett Siegel. The Spurs are ready to part ways with multiple first-round picks, along with Keldon Johnson in order to land the former All-Star this year. No word on whether the Jazz would accept this package from the Spurs.
REPORT: “The Spurs have shown a willingness to part with multiple first-round picks, as well as Keldon Johnson, in a potential deal for Lauri Markkanen”, per @BrettSiegelNBA. pic.twitter.com/343xR8kYnq
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 22, 2024
So far, Lauri Markkanen has been the subject of trade links to several teams in the NBA.
As things stand, the Golden State Warriors have made the most headway in trade talks with the Jazz to land the Finnish star, with them even making an offering Moses Moody and multiple picks. But the Jazz want them to add Brandon Podziemski and Johnathan Kuminga to the deal.
The Warriors are more open to dealing Kuminga in any package for Markkanen than Podziemski, whom they see as a potential cornerstone of the franchise should he develop well. It will be interesting to track this situation to see if any deal with the Warriors comes good in the coming weeks.
Lauri Markkanen has been great since he joined the Jazz. After a failed stint with the Bulls, Markkanen realized his potential with the Jazz. He’s become an All-Star since then and has shown his potential as a two-way player. Last season, he averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 55 games with the Jazz.
It will be interesting to see where Markkanen ends up, with so many teams interested in signing him for next season. It’s clear that teams want to land Lauri because of how he helps them contend for an NBA championship.
How Would Markkanen Fit With Wemby?
The big question about any potential trade taking Markkanen to the Spurs is – how well would Markkanen fit with Victor Wembanyama? The two players are both talented and skilled bigs in the league, who can play great defense while also putting up big numbers offensively.
The big concern for the Spurs will be the spacing. While Markkanen and Wembanyama can shoot from three in the league, they aren’t known as snipers, or even great shooters for that matter. Markkanen shoots better at 39%, whereas Wemby shoots at about 32.5%.
Perhaps the Spurs will be okay with the spacing and shooting percentage both Lauri and Wemby bring to the table and will roll the dice on that. Wembanyama has also shown that he can play well alongside other bigs, showing as such during his time with the French national team in the build-up to the Olympics.
We will see where Markkanen ends up. While the Spurs are interested, they may not be able to provide the Jazz with the best package, or even the package they might be looking for. But if they can, we may see the forming of one of the NBA’s most formidable duos for years to come.
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