Lauri Markkanen’s time with the Utah Jazz may not be coming to an end anytime soon.
Lauri Markkanen has been a name that has surprised the Utah Jazz since acquiring him last offseason in exchange for Donovan Mitchell. While he wasn’t the only piece from that trade, he quickly became the biggest. He went on to the All-Star game, averaged 25 points on high efficiency, and became a player to keep an eye on.
There were rumors, before he broke out, that Markkanen would be shipped away for more pieces, but it turns out the Jazz quite like the big Fin. He signed a four-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021, and he’s entering the third year of his contract.
Next year, he’s up for a contract extension, and if he can continue the same type of scoring output and efficiency this season, that he did in the prior season, then it’s likely he’d warrant such a raise, but do the Jazz see him a long-term piece?
Well, Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan spoke about this very thing on the Hoops Hype Podcast, where they revealed that Markkanen will likely get a new deal, saying;
"Gozlan: I’m expecting (the extension) to happen. I’d be surprised if it doesn’t happen. Out of all the things I could predict that’ll happen next offseason, number one is Tatum signing a supermax extension, and number two is Lauri doing his renegotiation. For the Jazz, they only used their cap space this summer – other than signing Omer Yurtseven to a $2.8 million deal – they used their cap space to trade for John Collins and renegotiate Jordan Clarkson. His salary rose by about $10 million, and then they dropped it by the maximum of 40 percent, so now he’s going to make like $15 million over the next two years.The Jazz is in a position where they already have a lot of important roster spots filled and have their rotation going into next year with young players they drafted. They’re going to have another pick next summer. I’d imagine they’re going to want to use their cap space. I’ve got them at roughly a little over $35 million. I don’t know if they’re going after players. They didn’t go after anyone this year. Next year’s market isn’t looking any better talent-wise than what we just had this year. I think, especially after seeing them do this for Clarkson, I’d be surprised if they don’t do the same for Markkanen."
They also discussed if the Jazz can in fact land Tyler Herro in the Portland Trail Blazers trade of Damian Lillard, and if they do, how that would impact Markkanen’s extension;
"Scotto: I think it’ll be interesting if Utah finds its way in the Damian Lillard trade talks and ends up with Tyler Herro. Obviously, all that’s fluid. If they got Herro, would that matter for a Markkanen renegotiation and extension?Gozlan: No. I don’t think so. If they’re trading someone who is under contract for next season, for example, let’s say Collin Sexton, and they turn him into $29 million for Herro, they still should have enough cap space after to give Lauri a big raise."
Herro’s arrival with the Jazz would transform the expectations that the team has, and if they can do so without losing their picks, all the better. You may have to give up Collin Sexton or even someone like Brice Sensabaugh, but considering the type of scorer that Herro is, you’d be hard-pressed to not make the deal.
Markkanen is the star of this franchise for as long as he can prove to be, so if can go out, and have as good, if not a better year in 2023-2024 than he did in the prior one, then he deserves the pay raise.
Assuming more wins come with that play.