Despite plenty of trade interest surrounding Lauri Markkanen, he will be remaining in Utah for the time being. He and the Jazz have reportedly agreed to a five-year, $238 million renegotiate and extend deal. As a result, he will not be able to be traded this year. Even with teams like the Golden State Warriors showing heavy interest in the forward’s services. As for the Jazz, the team could be hoping to use Markkanen as a building block for their future as they continue their rebuild process.
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz Agree to Five-Year, $238 Million Extension
Lauri Markkanen’s Career Numbers
Markkanen has really come into his own since he arrived in Utah. He has netted an All-Star appearance. He also won the Most Improved Player of the Year award in the 2022-23 campaign. Despite a somewhat rough start to his career, Lauri Markkanen has revived it with a larger role. Especially compared to when he was with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. During his Jazz tenure thus far, the Finnish forward has averaged 24.5 points, 8.4 total rebounds per game, and three-point shooting percentage of 39.5 percent.
On top of this, Markkanen has also tallied an offensive rating of 127, a player efficiency rating of 21.8, and a true shooting percentage of 63.6 percent during his two seasons in Utah. As for his career numbers, he currently possesses totals of 18.1 points, 7.3 rebounds per game, and a three-point shooting percentage of 37.5 percent. Markkanen also holds a career offensive rating of 116, a player efficiency rating of 17.5, and a career true shooting percentage of 59.5 percent. While the Utah Jazz are a team in a rebuilding phase, they at least possess an All-Star who can aid them during their rebuilding process
The Former All-Star is Now Ineligible to be Traded This Season
With Lauri Markkanen’s new extension, he is ineligible to be included in a trade for this season. The Golden State Warriors were heavily pursuing him all offseason after losing Klay Thompson. Other teams who showed interest included the Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs. Still, the Jazz could potentially deal Markkanen in the distant future if the price is right. For this year though, Utah will be able to retain the fan favorite. Will they be contenders? No. However, Lauri Markkanen is in for another solid individual season. As a result, Utah will be a team that one cannot take for granted and could be a “trap,” game for many opponents this coming season.
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