Analyst Predicts Head-Turning Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz Trade

Since his emergence onto the scene as an All-Star quality player, the Utah Jazz have had no shortage of whispers surrounding what the future holds for Lauri Markkanen and his fit on this young, rebuilding roster.

During last offseason's extension with Markkanen, the two sides put a quick pause on those rumors, effectively inking the star on for the next five years with a $200 million-plus deal, but also placing a trade restriction on his services for the 2024-25 regular season, nixing any conversations of buzz that may have encircled his name, as it did all last summer and up to the trade deadline before he signed his new contract.

But now, with the 2025 offseason upon us and that trade restriction since being lifted, the Jazz have the freedom to ship Markkanen out if they ever had a change of heart from last summer. And even without a ton of traction on a move coming to form, the chatter has kicked off once again this offseason linking the two sides to a split.

The latest prediction of what's to come for the Jazz's future with Markkanen, coming from Bleacher Report's Dan Favale, has an intriguing outlook on how he envisions the situation ending up in a few years: a shocking trade request from Markkanen.

Favale broke down his predictions for five of the league's most likely stars around the NBA to request a trade out of their current situations, where, surprisingly, Markkanen was among those listed as a candidate who could force his way out of Utah in due time.

The Jazz would like us to know that the 28-year-old Markkanen is totally a cornerstone for the future, and that they're totally not trading him, but that he's also clearly not untouchable. Sure," Favale wrote, "Utah doesn't have to deal Markkanen right now. It also doesn't seem like he would demand a trade one-year after getting his windfall. This is a dynamic that will erode over a little more time."

"Perhaps Markkanen gets frustrated with the emphasis on youthful development. Maybe he just tires of hearing his name in trade rumors and decides to formally join them to end the suspense," he continued. "Utah could even be the initiators but allow it to be framed as mutual so everybody saves face. No matter how it happens, unless the Jazz inexplicably and improbably fast-track their position in the Western Conference, Markkanen's exit at some point over the next year seems fait accompli—an issue of if, not when."