Lauri Markkanen may not be coming off the best season with the Utah Jazz, but teams know exactly how good he is when he's on his A-game. While his trade value is currently unclear, a team looking to add another star could talk itself into acquiring him, and one team that is looking for another star is the Toronto Raptors.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst revealed that there's buzz regarding what the Raptors are looking for on "The Hoop Collective," stating, "The Raptors are a team that is starting to make noise within the league about looking for a big fish (22:00 mark)."
More than that, per Windhorst, “There are some teams that sniff the ability to make a move and I think Toronto is one of those teams."
Windhorst didn't name names regarding who they could chase, but that hasn't stopped rampant speculation since his latest intel came out.
Naturally, the biggest names that come to mind for the Raptors are Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant. However, there's no confirmation that Antetokounmpo is available, and if he was, there are teams that can offer more than the Raptors. Because Durant's contract is set to expire in 2026, the Raptors might not want to invest too much in a flight risk as their history of keeping stars is not good.
Markkanen might not be as good as those two are, but his talent makes him fit the label of a "big fish" for which the Raptors are on the prowl.
How a deal could work between the two sides
Markkanen is a more realistic target because the Jazz would be willing to entertain taking the No. 9 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft in a Markkanen trade, compared to the Bucks, who would want both better assets and plenty more than that for Antetokounmpo.
Since he's coming off a disappointing performance, but heas played well enough for the Jazz to get solid value for him, a deal involving the No. 9 pick, additional assets, RJ Barrett, Jazz alum Ochai Agbaji, and Gradey Dick could be enough to entice Toronto to take Markkanen. The Raptors have signaled that, despite their struggles, they want to build a winner.
Markkanen makes them more dynamic as a big man who can create his own shot and space the floor. Another reason Markkanen appeals more to the Raptors than Durant is that he's younger and his contract lasts for four seasons. Toronto wants to keep stars for the long haul, and Markkanen's contract allows them to do that.
The Jazz originally wanted to pair Markkanen with Brandon Ingram last year. They may not have been wrong about the damage they could do together. The Raptors have the opportunity to do the same, and in the process, return to the playoffs if they pair those two with Scottie Barnes.
Even if Markkanen's not the biggest fish, he's still a big fish nonetheless.