Lauri Markkanen is approaching rare Jazz history only seen once before

Many wondered if the Utah Jazz would see the Lauri Markkanen of old this season. After 13 games, they haven't. What he is doing this season isn't something the version of him from 2022 to 2024 did. Nope, it's better. More than that, his play has been historic, and his scoring abilities are something the Jazz have not seen since the days of Adrian Dantley.

KSL Sports' Ben Anderson revealed that Markkanen is the first Jazz player since Dantley to average 30 points per game 13 games into the season, though Dantley did it three times.

That's pretty amazing company to be in and demonstrates just how dominant Markkanen has been when many wondered if he would ever play like he did when he became a star with the Jazz. Being put in the same sentence as Dantley shows that he's not playing at an All-Star level. He's playing at an all-time level.

He did something that not Karl Malone or Donovan Mitchell or Deron Williams or Gordon Hayward ever did when they were at their peak with the Jazz. This isn't the kind of play that just makes someone like Markkanen a star. It's the kind of play that gets his name up in the rafters if he keeps this up.

If the Jazz keep Markkanen, is he a Jazz all-timer?

Markkanen has been one of the Jazz's very best development stories. It was already exciting enough to see him elevate himself into the player he became in his first two years as a Jazzman. Not to sound like a broken record, but this year, it feels different. He's not just playing like a star. He's playing like a all-time Jazzman.

Now, it would be laughable to insist his number be retired presently because Utah as a team has yet to reap the rewards from what he's been able to do. However, despite all the rumors, we have to start entertaining the possibility that the Jazz intend to keep him for thei next playoff team because guys who put up the numbers he has are not easy to let go.

Teams typically only let go of them if the star tells them they don't want to play for them anymore. Markkanen has not done that even though the Jazz haven't won anything and had their worst year as a team last year.

This season isn't looking nearly as bad as last year, but there's still the chance it ends with Utah getting a high lottery pick. For what it's worth, with the individual developments from their other players, next year, this may be the last season the Jazz intend to be bad with Markkanen.

If by next season, they are gung ho on making the playoffs and then some, and Markkanen is still playing at his peak, this will be a real discussion. Such a rare scoring talent like the Finnisher should be remembered and not swept under the rug.