utah jazz Team president Danny Ainge has a reputation for being a tough bargainer, but he might be willing to move the star. Lauri Markkanen for the right price.
“They will listen,” a Western Conference executive told Heavy Sports of Ainge and the Jazz. “They always listen. Danny’s reputation is exaggerated. He wants a championship team, he wants to do what Sam Presti has done in Oklahoma City. He knows there is still a long way to go. They will be hard and the price will be high, but that is how it should be.”
The executive suggested Markkanen could get $175 million on a four-year deal.
He the Los Angeles Lakers It could be a team with interest in Markkanen. Active, productive 7-footers who can shoot are a rare commodity, and putting a great shooter like that next Anthony Davis is what one general manager told Heavy is a “dream scenario.”
It’s hard to believe that Markkanen has been traded three times in his career and that the Lakers have never been involved, even as an interested team, in any of those transactions. But then again, Markkanen wasn’t a big commodity at first.
When the The Chicago Bulls After trading Markkanen for the first time, profitability was relatively poor. They got two more second round picks Derrick Jones Jr.. in a signature and trade agreement with the Cleveland Knights and Portland Trail Blazersbut above all they were freed from the responsibility of having to pay the player, who was frequently injured and generally disappointing.
Markkanen went from Cleveland to the Jazz after one yearbut this time the return was better: it was packaged with Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji and three first-round picks, plus two pick swaps, for the star point guard. David Mitchell.
Knicks and Heat named as other possible teams for Lauri Markkanen
Markkanen’s struggle to stay healthy hasn’t changed much since his days in Chicago (he’s missed 43 games over the past two seasons), but his production has skyrocketed. He was an All-Star in 2022-23 with 25.6 points and 8.6 reboundsand he backed it up with 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds last season.
Markkanen’s biggest attraction? He shot 39.1% from the 3-point line in 2022-23 and 39.9% last year. But Markkanen will be a dream for almost all of the tournament’s contenders. NBA this offseason, and even some non-contenders.
“There are some teams that, if you look at it, he’s going to be their dream target,” the GM told Heavy. “On the Lakers, you have a guy like him with Anthony Davis, and that’s perfect for both of them. He Knicks I would love to be able to contact him. He Heatagain, put it with Bam (Adebayo) and that is the pair you want to build around, you can send Jimmy (butler) wherever.
“Just the aspect of the space between floors is very valuable. “It might make things easier for your stars.”
Lakers’ best offer might not be good enough
So what is the problem? Well, the Lakers aren’t the only team that could use Markkanen. They can offer good role players and future electionsbut after this year’s draft, they can’t trade a first-round pick until 2029, and could offer that pick along with their 2031 pick.
Other teams will have better offers, and the most coveted picks will go to Utah. Or the Jazz could postpone trading Markkanen and instead extend his contract, giving him what the executive said would amount to “a little less than (Domantas) Sabonis,” who got four years and 187 million dollars in an extension a year ago.
Four years and $175 million for Markkanen, the executive said, was a good projection.
“The problem for the Lakers, the best offer is going to be Rui (Hachimura) and Austin Reaves and two first rounders, let’s say. Well, if I’m Oklahoma City, I can get over that. If I’m Houston, I can get over that. He Warriors “You can get over it; it’s a long list,” the general manager said.
“So the only way that happens is maybe other teams worry about his injury history and the Lakers are there with the best offer. If Utah knows they’re not going to extend him, you might have to consider it. I think they will expand it, but it still has to be considered.”