Feb 22, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) brings the ball up the court against Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (back) during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Utah Jazz’s Final Shot Belongs to Lauri Markkanen

Originally posted on Utah Jazz on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Aug 7, 2025 9:25 AM ET

The Utah Jazz's roster will be set to look a bit different heading into next year compared to how they entered their latest campaign, with multiple key veterans now shipped out of the picture, now set to turn the clock back and focus on the young talent in the building.

But, with the new roster in place, and multiple starters now out of the mix, it creates an interesting question heading into the coming season: when it comes down to it, who on the Jazz gets the last-second shot when the team needs it most?

It's a question Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz recently broke down for every team across the association, outlining the most likely clutch time player each team has on their roster–– and for the Jazz, the number one name of note was none other than Lauri Markkanen.

"Despite being the leading scorer for the Utah Jazz last season, Lauri Markkanen somehow only ended up as the team's fifth-highest scorer in the fourth quarter. It's almost like this team wasn't trying to win games…" Swartz wrote. "The Jazz may have no choice but to play Markkanen at the end of games, as three of the four scorers above him (Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton and John Collins) have all since been bought out or traded. Only Keyonte George remains."

"A Markkanen trade at some point seems inevitable, and the organization would likely prefer Ace Bailey to take over in a starring role. For now, though, Markkanen is by far the best player on this roster and should be getting the final shot."

As the veteran leader and star of this Jazz lineup, it's easy to see how Markkanen would be the one atop the totem pole to get the ball in his hands at the end of the game. Even while not being the most elite isolation scorer or shot creator himself, he's likely still the best and efficient scorer on the floor when he's healthy.

Last season, Markkanen did have his ups and downs statistically compared to what he's been used to in Utah, averaging a his lowest average of 19.0 points a night since arriving to the Jazz, while also logging a career-low 42.3% from the field. However, in a year that the front office had it's sights set on the draft lottery from the season's tip-off, and one where Markkanen only appeared in 47 games, it's hard to put a lot of gravity on the turbulence he saw during his last campaign.

Now, in a year where the Jazz don't have to be so blatant in their tanking, it can also be a year where Markkanen's numbers are able to get back on track without worry of Utah's lottery numbers being affected in the crossfire, and perhaps be a worthwhile closer for this lineup in the process.