Lauri Markkanen has renegotiated and extended his contract with the Utah Jazz to the tune of five years, $238 million.
The money matters, but not as much as the timing. This deal makes Markkanen trade ineligible for six months. His
decision to sign it on August 7, a day after he was eligible for a new extension, means he cannot be dealt before the
February 6 trade deadline, pulling one of the most attractive, ostensibly attainable players off the market next season and out of free agency next summer.
On its face, this makes sense for everyone directly involved. Markkanen won’t ever be the best player on a
championship contender, but the accommodating nature of his game makes him significantly more valuable than his résumé suggests. He’s made only
one All-Star team and zero All-NBA teams, and he has yet to log a second in the postseason.
Little of that matters. Markkanen, 27, is the ideal complementary star, a 7-foot 3-point shooter who can score in a variety
of ways—in the post, coming off screens, in a pick-and-roll—while allowing little ground on defense. He doesn’t need the
ball to have a positive impact and can accentuate just about any crowd of teammates. The Jazz’s offense
consistently goes from white hot when Markkanen is on the court to lukewarm when he sits. It’s not a coincidence. Over
two seasons in Utah, he’s averaged nearly 25 points and 50/40/90 shooting splits.
Golden State. He’s also young enough to thrive in San Antonio, where he could have assisted Victor Wembanyama’s development and then supplemented
him when the Spurs become good enough to win a playoff series. Markkanen is a perfect low-maintenance second option who’d be even more
efficient than he already is while providing one of the brightest building
blocks in league history with cleaner looks than he’d otherwise get. The ceiling on that pair is “best duo in the NBA.”
For all those reasons, news of Markkanen’s signing also creates myriad ripple effects that will be felt around the
league, next season and beyond. What’s good news for the Jazz is deflating for any potential trade suitor or club
dreaming of spending its max cap space on him next summer. Several teams reportedly wanted Markkanen—the San
Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings would’ve been interesting—but none were more desperate to get him than the
Golden State Warriors, a once-terrifying juggernaut that no longer enjoys realistic championship ambitions.
After an unsuccessful bid for Paul George, Golden State pivoted to Markkanen, whose ghost screens, off-ball
movement, and outside shot would’ve been a natural fit beside Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Steve Kerr’s fast,
methodically unmethodical offensive system. The Warriors reportedly offered a package built around Moses Moody and draft picks, a.k.a. they made an
unserious attempt to upgrade next season’s roster. But it’s debatable whether or not Markkanen was the right play for them.
