Lauri Markkanen wants to sign with Mavericks in free agency?

The Dallas Mavericks already have Kristaps Porzingis, but now they could be signing a younger player who has drawn comparisons to Porzingis.

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported on Saturday that Chicago Bulls big man Lauri Markkanen privately wants to land in Dallas. Cowley notes that the Mavs will have plenty of cap room this offseason but that Markkanen and Porzingis might be too similar for it to work.

Markkanen, a sweet-shooting 7-footer like Porzingis, will be a restricted free agent this summer. But he has regressed statistically for the second consecutive season. That makes his market somewhat uncertain.

That said however, Porzingis has underwhelmed in Dallas. He was even recently the subject of some trade rumors. A move for Markkanen would make Porzingis more expendable or could even involve Porzingis himself in a sign-and-trade scenario.