With Lauri Markkanen in All-Star form again, the Utah Jazz must utilize his reemergence as an opportunity to improve their future. Markkanen was dominant at EuroBasket, showcasing the ability that earned him All-Star honors in 2022-23 and potentially reigniting the trade market.
If the trade market is in fact in play again, then it would behoove Utah to capitalize on Markkanen's resurgence by exploring mutually beneficial deals.
Markkanen has put together one of the most memorable summers of his playing career. He led Finland to its first EuroBasket semifinal, earned All-Tournament honors, and reminded fans and critics alike of how dominant he can be when his shot is falling.
For Utah, it was also a reminder of how much value it could potentially receive via trade if Markkanen can stay healthy and continues to perform at a high level in 2025-26.
Markkanen won the Most Improved Player award in 2022-23 after averaging 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game on .499/.391/.875 shooting. Unfortunately, he missed 27 games in 2023-24 and 35 in 2024-25, with his quality of play inevitably being impacted by his ailments.
That appears to have damaged Markkanen's trade value, but his recent resurgence could be the opportunity the Jazz need to bolster their youth movement.
Lauri Markkanen's resurgence enables Jazz to control trade market
In an ideal world, Utah could hold on to Markkanen and craft its offense around one of the most dynamic scorers in the NBA. Unfortunately, timelines are relevant when building for the future, and the Jazz have a conflicting collection of talent.
There are certainly no shortage of veterans on the roster, but Utah's key players lack the level of experience or polish that would imply competing for the playoffs is a realistic goal in 2025-26.
19-year-old rookie Ace Bailey looks the part of a high-level scorer who can develop into a leading figure for the franchise in future seasons. He's complemented by 24-year-old center Walker Kessler and the likes of Isaiah Collier, Kyle Filipowski, Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, and Brice Sensabaugh—all of whom are 21 or younger.
Considering each of the aforementioned players are expected to play a significant role in Will Hardy's rotation in 2025-26, it's difficult to see how a 28-year-old Markkanen fits.
Perhaps he'll prove to be the ideal veteran to build around, capable of bridging the gap between the up-and-comers and the veterans as soon as 2025-26. One simply can't help but acknowledge the type of value Markkanen could bring back in a trade.
Injuries have been an issue for him during his NBA career, but Markkanen's skill set and $46,394,100 salary suggest he could command a significant return.
Utah could realistically walk away from a Markkanen trade with draft capital and at least one starting-caliber player who better fits their timeline. That would be quite a win, especially when one considers that their All-Star has four years remaining on his contract and other players will need to be paid over the life of his deal.
When contenders become desperate for the big splash that can put them over the top, the Jazz may very well be the team that causes the first major domino to fall if it's willing to trade Markkanen.