After a summer rife with trade speculation, Jazz All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen becomes eligible to sign a lengthy and lucrative extension with Utah on Tuesday. There are plenty of particulars worth examining regarding Markkanen’s earning potential on a new contract. But the most integral aspect of negotiations between Markkanen’s representation and the Jazz front office — perhaps the most critical element of Utah’s overall team build — is simply what date Markkanen actually puts pen to paper.
Utah has every incentive to lavish Markkanen with a long-term offer this week, or the Jazz would risk permitting the 27-year-old play out the final year of his current deal and test the open market next summer as a free agent. Securing Markkanen for several seasons could also increase his future trade value in one respect, as any team that would acquire Markkanen before he becomes extension-eligible this week likely would seek assurances of his interest in re-singing with that new organization.
But if Markkanen waits to sign his new deal until Wednesday or later, Markkanen won’t be eligible to be traded during this upcoming 2024-25 season. He wouldn’t be eligible to be traded for six months after his new agreement, in accordance with the collective bargaining, which would fall one day after the Feb. 6 trade deadline. It was similarly crucial for Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen to sign his extension Aug. 2, leaving him available for trade for four days prior to the deadline.
All indications, though, are that Markkanen intends to delay his signature for that exact purpose, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Markkanen was traded twice in the span of 12 months, first beginning with Chicago lording over his 2021 restricted free agency. The Bulls eventually relinquished Markkanen via a sign-and-trade that shipped the Finnish phenom to the Cavaliers on the three-year deal that is currently set to expire at season’s end. Yet following one strong season with Cleveland, the Cavaliers rerouted Markkanen to Utah as part of their massive outgoing package for Donovan Mitchell in September 2022.
Few players want to face the general uncertainty of moving midseason, especially those who have enjoyed newfound stability for the first time in their careers. That has been the same word about Portland forward Jerami Grant, sources said, despite rival teams interest in the veteran Trail Blazer. Markkanen already expressed his family’s interest in staying with Utah during his exit interview this spring.
“We love to be here,” Markkanen said. “I’ve said it multiple times and my family likes to be here.”
Markkanen, then, can essentially remove himself from the trade landscape until next summer. That would ripple across the league-wide market, as various teams such as Golden State and Sacramento have made legitimate efforts to acquire Markkanen dating back to the start of free agency, sources said. San Antonio has harbored interest in Markkaken since he was a restricted free agent, according to league sources, and the Spurs once hoped to bring him back to San Antonio in the sign-and-trade that sent DeMar DeRozan to Chicago the same summer of Markkanen’s 2021 restricted free agency. Oklahoma City expressed preliminary interest back then as well, sources said, but the Thunder have since drafted Chet Holmgren and executed a rev-the-engine frontcourt move by signing center Isaiah Hartenstein this free agency period.
The Kings made significant progress in talks with the Jazz this summer, sources said, which ultimately fell apart by early July. Utah has made clear it prioritizes sophomore guard Brandin Podziemski over Jonathan Kuminga from Golden State, sources said, although the Warriors have envisioned both players in starting roles for next year.
And yet, for a Jazz team that already holds a surplus of nine incoming first-round selections and swaps through 2029, thanks to Utah’s mammoth hauls for both Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, it has had to ask itself if a package of multiple firsts and a rookie coming off a promising first season outweighs the value of rostering a bona fide All-Star who wants to be in Salt Lake City and has yet to enter his prime. Outside of Sacramento, much of the trade conversation out of Utah surrounding Markkanen this summer has felt preliminary at best.
Markkanen may be the closest idea to a franchise face the Jazz could acquire for the foreseeable future. He has shouldered the challenge of leading Finland’s national team and has embraced the same identity in Utah under head coach Will Hardy. The NBA transaction market is also quite unpredictable. One year ago, Mikal Bridges was considered off limits for trade in Brooklyn. When the right time occurs, Utah can elbow into any trade conversation if the price is right and attempt to surround Markkanen with veteran talent when it becomes available. The Jazz indeed scoured the market for ways to add to Markkanen this summer, sources said, including attempts to land Bridges plus other players, before hoping to present an offer to Paul George. Utah still has veterans such as John Collins, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton making significant salaries that could serve as outgoing money in any trade package.
If there’s further indication of Utah’s plan to build around Markkanen at the moment, take the Jazz sending a cohort of coaches, including assistant Sean Sheldon and player development staffer Chris…
Yahoo Sports
