Lauri Markkanen Linked To 2 West Teams For Potential Blockbuster Trade
The Paul George domino finally fell on Monday morning. Could Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen's tile be the next one to fall?
George was seen by many as the biggest available prize of the 2024 NBA offseason. With George now headed to the Philadelphia 76ers, Markkanen appears to be one of the hotter names on the market.
According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, there are some serious rumblings coming from Utah that Jazz executive Danny Ainge is open to moving Markkanen for the right price.
In a recent episode of his "Hoop Collective" podcast, Windhorst indicated two Western Conference teams in particular that are said to be interested in the Finnish 7-footer: the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors.
The Spurs just signed veteran point guard Chris Paul to help set up and mentor San Antonio's French phenom Victor Wembanyama. Adding a floor-spacing big man to the mix in Markkanen sounds like a match made in heaven for Spurs fans.
Mar 27, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) brings the ball up the court against the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter at Delta Center. © Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
The Warriors, meanwhile, are looking to reload after getting rid of Paul. With Klay Thompson also potentially heading elsewhere, Golden State will likely have a huge scoring void to fill heading into next season -- one that Markkanen could step into easily.
Markkanen averaged 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds on 48% shooting from the field and just shy of 40.0% from downtown last season. If the Jazz make the 26-year-old All-Star available, he'll surely have no shortage of suitors.