Lauri Markkanen now has a long-term dedication to the Utah Jazz. Nonetheless, the brand new deal ensures one other summer time of commerce rumors for the Finnish All-Star.
The Jazz explored commerce choices for Markkanen all summer time earlier than Utah determined to renegotiate and prolong his contract. Markkanen bought an enormous elevate from his current $18M wage subsequent season as much as the utmost of simply over $42M, plus 4 extra years at a complete of $196M to stick with the workforce the place he turned an All-Star through the 2022-23 season.
The brand new contract’s timing means he is sticking round Salt Lake Metropolis subsequent season. NBA gamers can’t be traded till six months after signing such a deal, and the commerce deadline is on Feb. 6, at some point earlier than Markkanen would turn into trade-eligible.
However there is no cause to suppose Utah will not be buying Markkanen once more. Since Danny Ainge turned CEO of the Jazz late in 2021, he is traded veterans and stockpiled draft picks. Rudy Gobert was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Donovan Mitchell went to the Cleveland Cavaliers, whereas Utah amassed as many as seven future first-round picks, plus a number of swaps.
The catch is that the Jazz still owes a first-round choose to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder as the worth for dumping Derrick Favors’ contract three years in the past. That choose is protected against 1-10 subsequent yr, giving the Jazz a substantial incentive to tank forward of the loaded 2025 draft. If Ainge thinks long-term, the choose is protected 1-8 in 2026.
Markkanen will doubtless spend one other yr out of the playoffs and one other summer time on the commerce block. Ainge has primarily wager that both the Timberwolves, Cavaliers or Lakers, who owe Utah a first-round choose (protected 1-4) in 2027, can be unhealthy sufficient in a number of seasons to make their picks helpful. However the 27-year-old Markkanen is sweet now. He does not match the timeline of his workforce, which has six gamers who’re 20 years previous or youthful from the previous two drafts.
Markkanen actually cashed in with this new contract. However do not count on him to be on the Jazz for the lifetime of this contract. And even previous subsequent season.
