Lauri Markkanen’s days on the trade block could be coming to an end, which is terrible news for the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs.
We are more than a week into the NBA summer, and there has been a lot of activity around the game. All-Stars have signed with new teams, and blockbuster transactions have transformed playoff teams into title contenders for the next season.
However, the large trade market for Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen has been one of the league’s biggest stories in the previous week. Despite being the organization’s cherished gem, the Jazz are reportedly considering offers for the talented seven-footer.
Several significant teams have expressed interest in Markkanen, including the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, and Miami Heat. And, with many of the top players off the free agent market and few better talents on the trade block, the 27-year-old could be the Warriors, Heat, and Spurs’ last best shot to add a player who can make a significant impact in the short and long term.
Lauri Markkanen stats (2023-24): 23.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, 40% 3-point
However, any remaining dreams that those teams and their fans had for completing a blockbuster trade for Lauri Markkanen were destroyed by a startling new update on his trade status. According to The Athletic’s Jazz insider Tony Jones, some “within the league who have grown more convinced that the Jazz, after exploring Markkanen’s trade market, plan to renegotiate-and-extend him, using their saved up cap space.”
Jones also stated that the forward enjoys playing in Utah and that the company is not in a hurry to move him. Plus, “In reality, even if the Jazz can extract a big offer and a ton of assets for Markkanen, he might be more valuable to the Jazz than the rest of the league,” Jones wrote last week.
So far, the offers are reportedly “pick heavy,” with interested teams not offering players in exchange for becoming a part of the Jazz’s comeback.
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