Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen Floated in Trade Rumors with 76ers

Could the Utah Jazz look into a Lauri Markkanen trade once again this summer?

When asking around the league, a few teams seem to think that possibility is yet again on the table for the Jazz front office.

According to ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony, some teams across the NBA expect the Philadelphia 76ers to investigate a trade involving their third-overall pick, and Markkanen, along with Kevin Durant, could be potential targets.

"Some teams expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations, with names such as Kevin Durant (Phoenix) and Lauri Markkanen (Utah) as potential targets in packages that could include Paul George and the No. 3 pick," Givony said. "Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has made a career of being active and aggressive on the trade front, but historically, it's rare to see a top-three pick being traded."

The Jazz silenced any and all trade chatter on Markkanen at the end of last summer heading into the 2024-25 campaign by inking him to a five-year, $280 million extension, effectively placing a trade restriction on his services throughout the entirety of the regular season.

But now, the offseason is getting underway. That trade restriction is no longer in play, and with it could come a change of tune from the Jazz brass concerning a Markkanen trade, if they see an opportunity come their way that they like. Perhaps a trade into the top three to acquire a young franchise cornerstone could be the move to push the needle.

Markkanen comes off an injury-ravaged and up-and-down season, one where he played in 47 contests to average 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on 42.3% shooting from the field. While not up to the standards he's posted for the past two years in Utah, the league knows what Markkanen can do at his best, and maybe for Philadelphia, he could be the win-now piece they covet more than a young prospect.

However, it still remains up in the air if this Jazz front office truly wants to part ways with their star talent in Markkanen. Just last offseason, we saw how highly Utah valued their All-Star forward in trade rumors with those like the Golden State Warriors, where the saga ended in their asking price being too high, and inevitably putting pen to paper on a new extension.

Could the Jazz have changed their mindset after one year into Markkanen's contract? It's hard to say, but to pick up a long-aspired high-ceiling young player into the top three of the draft, maybe Utah finally ends up pulling that trigger.

Though with an executive like Danny Ainge at the helm, it's hard to map out how any offseason could eventually transpire. This time around is no different.