Lauri Markkanen trade rumors have already been a hot topic for a few weeks now, and as long as he remains with the Utah Jazz, who are expected to struggle despite a potential All-Star campaign for him. One team that has been mentioned as a potential destination for Markkanen is the Detroit Pistons, who are building something special. However, if the Jazz and Pistons ever talk trade, one golden asset might be off the table: Ausar Thompson.
The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Michael Pina discussed the prospect of a potential Markkanen trade to the Pistons. Should the two discuss one, Simmons said that if he were the Jazz, Thompson would have to be included, to which Pina responded by saying that he believes Thompson is "untradable" to him.
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Thompson is a rising star in the NBA who played a role in Detroit having its best season since 2008. The key difference between him and Markkanen is that while it's clear how good and impactful Markkanen is at his peak, it's unknown what Thompson will be fully capable of, and his ceiling might be even higher.
That would make him the ideal target for Utah if they put Markkanen on the table and got into trade discussions with Detroit. The Pistons, however, would likely prefer adding Markkanen to their core without sacrificing the electric Thompson in the process.
What would be the best outcome of a potential Markkanen trade?
First, let it be known that Utah is not currently entertaining this and has said as much. That's how much stock fans should put into these rumors about Markkanen. However, this scenario will only continue to be brought up this season unless the Jazz prove themselves to be a playoff team.
If and when the Jazz decide to part ways with Markkanen, they will, of course, want not just a high quantity of assets in exchange for Markkanen, but high-quality ones too, whether that comes in the form of a potential cornerstone or in the form of high lottery picks.
Thompson might be a little too ambitious for Utah to target for Markkanen when he could very well be a franchise player. Utah's sights may be better set on a young player who hasn't shown as much as Thompson has or a potentially lesser prospect.
The Jazz have more than enough picks in their arsenal at the moment, and having too many of them could potentially be a problem. It's why a possible Markkanen trade is not as easy as it sounds, even if it would make sense.
This isn't something that Utah is currently pondering about, but if they do in the near future, they have to make sure they get the right value for Markkanen.