Lauri Markkanen 's future is being speculated on greatly now that NBA free agency has begun. While Markkanen is tied down to the Jazz , they are reportedly open to moving him going forward. According to Jake L. Fischer of Yahoo Sports , it appears the Warriors , Spurs , Kings , and Timberwolves have an interest in landing the Finnish star.
"The biggest domino from Thompson’s outcome, however, could very well be the future of All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen. Golden State has tried to maximize its optionality this summer by chasing the biggest fish who are feasibly available for the taking."
"In addition to Golden State, Sacramento, and San Antonio have been the two other teams characterized by league figures with knowledge of the situation as strong possible suitors for Markkanen at this point."
"For the Kings to land Markkanen, NBA personnel believe the Jazz would require Sacramento to part with Keegan Murray, and that might leave other trade options like Brandon Ingram as a more palatable outcome for the Kings. Minnesota has shown interest in Markkanen as well, sources said."
Markkanen could be the next major star to move teams this year, as many of the other big stars in the league, like Paul George, James Harden, and Klay Thompson have all secured their future in free agency . And the Knicks kicked off the trade market with a bombshell trade for Mikal Bridges.
Markkanen took some time adapting to the NBA, struggling to make an impact with the Bulls. But his move to the Jazz revitalized him as a player and allowed him to become an All-Star for the first time in his career. Now, it may be time for him to take the next step, and join a team looking to compete for a championship.
Where Does Markkanen's Future Lie?
Michael A. Scotto explained why Markkanen may be the next big player to move. He noted that the Jazz attempted to build around him but failed. While Markkanen is happy with them, they will need to make a decision soon, as they are neither good or bad enough to pick a direction for the franchise.
"The next big guy that, not just the Warriors, people around the league are monitoring, as in executives across the league is Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz. Because, Utah has been trying to add pieces around him, and improve the team. They tried to do it with Mikal Bridges, they looked at other players. But that hasn't been successful."
"They took a glance at Damian Lillard when he was available as well, I'm not sure if people know that. It's not from a lack of trying from Danny Ainge... To me, I think eventually they're going to be at a crossroads because they could do a renegotiation and extension with Markkanen who wants to be in Utah, he says that publically in interviews..."
"But it's going to get to a needle-moving point soon. And I think they're going to have to figure out as a franchise where they're at. Because they've been toeing the line where they're not terrible (enough) that they're getting a top-5 pick. But you're not really good enough to be a playoff team or a play-in team."
Markkanen has been great for the Jazz and has revitalized his career with them. Last season, he played 55 games for the Jazz and averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists. But despite this, the Jazz weren't even able to make the play-in tournament, finishing the season 12th in the West with a 31-51 record.
Whichever team lands Markkanen will be getting a solid player with major star potential. Teams in the league will have to compete and be ready to pay a high price, as the Mikal Bridges deal has set the tone for the trade market now.
Related: A Blockbuster Trade That Could Turn The Boston Celtics Into A Dynasty
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