Battling back and knee issues, the Finnish star played only 47 of 82 games. Utah, aiming for better draft odds, kept him sidelined late in the season—even when the NBA believed he was fit. The team was fined $100,000 for this. According to Markkanen, the season—spent at the bottom of the standings—was “mentally a bit heavier.” “You always want to play as many games as possible and compete at a high level. Everyone is in it to win.” The training camp at summer’s end had raised expectations: “It went off the rails. A disappointment in that sense,” he summed up the season. “It’s frustrating if you can’t play or the team is losing.” -via MTV Uutiset / June 12, 2025
