Jazz Reportedly Believed to be 'Very Open' to Lauri Markkanen Trade Amid NBA Rumors
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen reportedly could be available for trade at some point during the 2025-26 NBA season.
According to SI.com's Chris Mannix, the Jazz are "very open for business" when it comes to Markkanen after turning down previous overtures.
Mannix noted that the Golden State Warriors made an offer for Markkanen during the summer of 2024, but the Jazz declined due to their belief that "a stronger market would materialize."
Prior to the 2022-23 season, the Jazz acquired Markkanen as part of the blockbuster trade that sent perennial All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
While Mitchell has remained at the top of his game in Cleveland, the move initially paid big dividends for the Jazz as well since Markkanen enjoyed a career year during his first season in Utah.
In 2022-23, Markkanen averaged a career-high 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from beyond the arc.
As a result, he was named an All-Star for the first time, and he won NBA Most Improved Player honors as well.
Markkanen enjoyed another productive season in 2023-24 with 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per contest, although injuries limited him to 55 contests.
Despite the potential durability concerns, the Jazz signed the 7-footer to a four-year, $195.8 million contract extension in August 2024 rather than trading him.
Markkanen did not take a step forward after signing his new deal, though, as last season was his worst as a member of the Jazz.
In addition to injuries limiting the 28-year-old Finn to a career-low 47 games, his averages dipped to 19.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest. He also shot a career-worst 42.3 percent from the floor and his 34.6 percent shooting from deep was his worst mark since 2019-20.
Although the Jazz have struggled through three consecutive losing seasons, including a 17-65 mark last year, they are starting to build a talented, young core.
Ace Bailey, Walker Kessler, Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Cody Williams, Kyle Filipowski, Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabaugh and Walter Clayton Jr. are among the players aged 24 or younger on the roster with a chance to be part of the franchise's future.
However, veterans like Markkanen are blocking some of them from getting the playing time they need, which could be part of the reason why the Jazz are reportedly considering moving on from him.
Trading Markkanen would likely mean a drop in current performance and perhaps even a bottoming out for the Jazz franchise in 2025-26, but since it seems unlikely that they will vie for a playoff spot even with Markkanen in the fold, dealing him may be the best possible move for the future of the organization.
