The Utah Jazz could face a fight to keep hold of Lauri Markkanen.
After a ‘wild’ 2024 campaign saw Karl-Anthony Towns and Luka Doncic secure huge trades, NBA insider and talkSPORT contributor Marc Stein thinks there will be fewer blockbuster moves in the upcoming campaign.
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Markkanen has emerged as a real star in Salt Lake CityCredit: Getty
But there is still plenty of speculation surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo and Markkanen is another set to draw interest.
“I don’t see how it could be as active this season as it was last season. Last season was wild,” Stein told talkSPORT’s Brian T. Smith in an exclusive YouTube chat.
“People will test Utah’s resolve with Lauri Markkanen,” he added. “Lauri Markkanen had a monster summer for Finland at EuroBasket.
“And the Jazz, their phone is going to ring with interest in Lauri Markkanen.
“Lauri Markkanen was not eligible to be traded last season. He is eligible to be traded this season. And so we’re going to have to keep our eye on that.”
Markkanen joined Arizona from his native Finland in 2016 and impressed enough for the Minnesota Timberwolves to select him seventh overall in the NBA Draft a year later before immediately trading his rights to the Chicago Bulls.
The seven-foot power forward’s parents were both pro hoopers and he is technically gifted for his size, but injury and inconsistent performances limited his impact early.
He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021 and found himself in Utah a year later.
That is where Markkanen’s career really took off as he averaged 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds in the 2022-23 season.
Trade speculation wouldn’t go away over the summer of 2024 with the Golden State Warriors credited with strong interest.
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Markkanen’s new deal meant he wasn’t on the block last seasonCredit: Getty
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Nobody saw Doncic leaving Dallas before his shock tradeCredit: Getty
That was put to bed in August with a five-year deal worth $238 million.
It made Markkanen the highest-earning Finnish athlete of all time — surpassing former Formula 1 star Kimi Räikkönen.
He backed up that status by helping his country into the semifinals at EuroBasket 2025, averaging 23.1 points.
Why isn’t Lauri Markkanen playing?
Markkanen suffered a wrist contusion during the tournament which has kept him out of training camp.
Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the standout has been able to participate in workouts with no visible protectiopn on his hand.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy isn’t overly concerned.
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“It’s more maintenance,” he explained. “I’m lucky that I got to see this in San Antonio a bunch when guys were playing EuroBasket.
“They just competed really hard for a month and laid it all on the line. It’s nothing that we’re concerned about, but it’s just some bumps and bruises that we want to manage in this moment as he’s coming off of that. There’s nothing to be concerned about at all.”
Markkanen confirmed that he feels fine, but couldn’t provide a return date.
“I’m not sure what the exact date is when I’m going to start, but [I’ve] been doing rehab every day and working out and feeling better,” he said.
The Jazz’s season-opener is against the Los Angeles Clippers on 22.
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