NBA Trade Rumors: Jazz Star Lauri Markkanen to Rockets?

The Houston Rockets will be looking for ways to upgrade their roster this offseason after being eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

One of those options is Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, who was listed as a potential Rockets trade target by Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley.

"Markkanen isn't quite a tier-one offensive force, but he could be awfully close to it. Detractors will say his numbers have been inflated by suiting up for some bottom-feeders in Salt Lake City, but it's not like it's easy to average 24.5 points on 49/39.5/88.5 shooting like he did during the previous two seasons," Buckley wrote.

"Plus, he's not particularly ball-dominant for a featured option. That's important if Houston is hoping to upgrade its offense without taking touches away from Alperen Şengün or, if he isn't traded, Jalen Green.

"Regardless whom the Rockets keep, Markkanen would make their lives easier. He's a scoring threat from anywhere and a walking mismatch. He's too skilled for most bigs to handle on the perimeter, and if a smaller player gets switched onto him, he can punish them in the low post.

"He also obviously doesn't fit Utah's timeline, so he shouldn't be overly difficult to pry away. That's especially true if his sagging stats this past season convince other would-be suitors to stay away from him and the $195.9 million he'll collect over the next four campaigns, per Spotrac."

The Rockets could increase their size and production with Markkanen on the roster, so the team should look at what it will take to acquire him this offseason.