For a time, Lauri Markkanen was the biggest storyline of the 2024 NBA Offseason. Until the Utah Jazz re-signed him, rumors heated up that Markkanen could have headed to the Bay Area. Of course, we all know what happened next.
Markkanen is staying put for at least one season, and it appears all hands are on deck that he won't go anywhere for a while. Among those who question Utah's decision to keep him is Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes.
Hughes explained why trading Markkanen would have been beneficial for the Jazz.
"This was also the perfect time for the Jazz to dive head-first into a rebuild and a shot at a top draft pick in a loaded 2025 class. Hovering between 31 and 37 wins the past few seasons has resulted in two missed postseasons and no draft pick higher than No. 9 overall," Hughes wrote.
It's not that this isn't true. The Jazz getting rid of their best player would help them pursue Cooper Flagg, who is hailed as a surefire superstar in the making. However, they saw an alternative to doing things with Markkanen, and it's honestly not as bad as some may think.
Here's why keeping Markkanen was the right move on Utah's part.
Trading a relatively young star isn't a foolproof decision
Markkanen has gotten some high praise coming into his third season with the Jazz. So much so that he ranked No. 23 in Action Network's Top 100 Rankings. Whether you agree with that ranking or not, the truth is that he has proven himself such a rare talent.
Even if the Jazz trade Markkanen in their efforts to go all-in on the tank, it would remain in question whether they will eventually get someone as good as Markkanen. They wouldn't know for years if a trade like that is worth it. There's no need to mess with what works now and could work better down the line.
The only workable scenario is where the Jazz could have traded him is if the Warriors handed over their entire future. That was the only way in which Utah would have agreed to it, and why?
Because, with that hypothetical trade, the Jazz would own the Warriors' future. Because Golden State only has so much time left with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, knowing what they would look like without them would have given the Jazz so many options for where to go.
The Warriors understandably didn't want to do that, and the Jazz were not going to hand over Markkanen. Hence, no deal. And that should set the template for what to expect if Markkanen is put in trade rumors.
The Jazz can keep Markkanen and still be bad
The decision to keep Markkanen has been criticized because he's a star about to enter his prime on a team that should be bad. The last two seasons have been a tad frustrating because Markkanen's rise made the Jazz seem a little directionless.
Because the Jazz have been a step above bad and a step below good, keeping him long-term may not seem like the best idea. However, this year, it should be different. Different enough that the Jazz can get away with keeping Markkanen around and still be among the worst of the worst.
Memphis had the season from hell, and at full strength, they are every bit a playoff contender. In Year 2 of Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs will not be a team to be toiled with. Houston's not going anywhere and has very strong playoff aspirations.
The Jazz may be trying to have their cake and eat it with Markkanen, but pending unforeseen injuries, their Western Conference competitors outside of Portland will all try harder than them to make a playoff run.
Sure, losing might be frustrating, but Markkanen has made it very clear how loyal he is to the Jazz. Utah can afford to be bad this year without having to give up a talented player like Markkanen. This strategy may not pay off right away, but there's plenty of reason to be optimistic about where the Jazz are going.