It’s that time of the NBA calendar when the Utah Jazz and Lauri Markkanen get wrapped up in some offseason trade chatter, regardless of whether or not that trade is truly in the realm of possibilities.
The newest buzz comes from ESPN’s Shams Charania, who had mentioned Markkanen in a pool of candidates the Detroit Pistons could look into as a potential fit to upgrade their roster this summer.
“I do expect [the Pistons] to be star hunting or hunting for that type of player,” Charania said on ESPN’s Get Up, “You look at the profile of a player; Lauri Markkanen, Trey Murphy, those are guys in their 20s in the prime of their careers. You want players to fit the mold of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren.”
Shams Charania expects the Pistons to make moves this off-season
“I do expect them to be star hunting or hunting for that type of player.”
Via @GetUpESPN pic.twitter.com/LUHjGv0sM6
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) April 28, 2026
Whether or not there really is any interest on the Pistons’ behalf for someone like Markkanen, we might not truly know until their season officially comes to a close and the offseason action ramps up for both them and the rest of the league.
But as for the Jazz’s interest in shipping out Markkanen in a deal with the Pistons, it feels like a safe bet such a move wouldn’t be in the cards this summer, or any time soon, for that matter.
No, Markkanen Is Still Not Available
For each of the last few offseasons and trade deadlines, the same topic of conversation revolving around Markkanen and the Jazz finds its way into some type of national headline linking a potential trade being in play.
Time and time again, those efforts have been shut down pretty consistently. The 2024 offseason felt like the closest Markkanen has ever gotten to being traded from Utah, but those discussions would still end up being shut down with his $200M+ extension signed that August to cement his future with the franchise.
Now, Markkanen’s name seems to keep finding its way into the NBA’s offseason cycle. But if he wasn’t going to be traded from the Jazz before, he certainly won’t be on the move now.
Dec 26, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) takes a shot over Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Leading up to next season, the Jazz are gearing up for a much-different-looking year from what they’ve recently been accustomed to; they’re gearing up for a competitive push in the Western Conference rather than landing back in the lottery for another season.
That means Markkanen, a player in the prime of his career who can help the Jazz win games now, should be completely unlocked next season for an All-Star-caliber campaign, and one that can be a key cornerstone in Utah’s playoff aspirations. Not someone the Jazz are looking to move off of.
Since arriving in Utah, Markkanen has remained both patient and committed to the Jazz’s rebuild process to finally get to the point the team has reached now. And seeing his fit connect with their newest trade addition, Jaren Jackson Jr., is something everyone in the building is eager to see come to fruition.
So as much as the Pistons may love a connecting star like Markkanen to fill in their own frontcourt, the Jazz probably aren’t open for business on a deal involving him. Expect them to be forced to address their needs elsewhere.
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