The Utah Jazz have decisions to make in the upcoming months. Firstly, what to do with the draft, and should they trade for any new talent? Secondly, what are they going to do with the likes of Collin Sexton and Lauri Markkanen? Both are too young to just move on from, they're both fantastic players heading into the prime of their careers. They're also both too old to keep around if the team is going to go into a full rebuild, however.
A rebuild in the NBA could last anywhere from a couple of seasons to nearly a decade, and you're not going to keep guys like Markkanen and Sexton around just to finally compete when they're both on the wrong side of their 30s. You're going to trade them. If you trade them, you get stuff back for them, and you chug on to the rebuild. If you keep them, however then the expectation changes.
Keeping both men heading into the 2024 season is a sign you expect to compete, and if that's the goal, then the offseason needs to be built around that idea. Which means, making sure guys like them are around for a while. Sexton has two years left on his deal, but Markkanen is heading into the final year of his contract.
He'll need a new one soon, but what are the pros and cons of giving Markkanen that deal right now, when we're not even sure of what's to come with the team and its future plans?