Former NBA All-Star’s EuroBasket Dominance Could Lead Him To New Home

OKINAWA, JAPAN – AUGUST 31: Lauri Markkanen #23 of Finland dunks the ball during the FIBA Basketball World Cup Classification 17-32 Group O game between Cape Verde and Finland at Okinawa Arena on August 31, 2023 in Okinawa, Japan. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)

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Lauri Markkanen is lighting up Eurobasket. His stellar two-way play has steered Finland to a 3-0 record and into the Round of 16. The former NBA All-Star is generating 32.3 points per contest. That’s the second-most behind Luka Doncic’s 33 points per tilt.

Markkanen is outpacing the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic. He’s shooting nearly 53 percent from the field. That includes launching 7.7 threes and converting them at a scorching 43.5 percent clip. He has a 71 percent true-shooting percentage.

Despite such a high volume and efficiency from beyond the arc, the Finnish star is also getting to the free-throw line at a rate only topped by Doncic. Markkanen is earning 11.7 attempts from the charity stripe per game. He’s capitalizing on those opportunities at an 88.6 percent rate. Doncic is making a living there, averaging 15.7 free throws.

Beyond his scoring, Markkanen is making his presence felt on defense. He is swiping three steals per contest, tying him for third in that category. He is also grabbing seven rebounds per tilt.

Lauri Markkanen’s play at EuroBasket could lead to a trade

The Utah Jazz are rebuilding. Their most promising young player is rookie Ace Bailey. The former Rutgers star turned 19 this month. He has a tremendously high ceiling. That warranted going fifth overall in this year’s NBA Draft. There’s a case for keeping Markkanen, in part, to avoid putting too much on the six-foot-eight forward’s plate too quickly.

However, the latter might not mind. Bailey’s new team might not, either. Furthermore, the driving force in whether Markkanen gets dealt is what other organizations are willing to offer Utah for him.

He signed a four-year, nearly $200 million contract extension with the Jazz last summer. Now in effect, he is on the books for $46.4 million for the 2025-26 season. His deal carries an average annual value of $49 million. That will steer suitors away.

For those it doesn’t, offers may center around draft picks. That could help Utah land another top prospect in next year’s class. Adding a player like Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, or Cam Boozer to pair with Bailey would give the Jazz two young cornerstones to build around.

Markkanen will be 28 throughout the upcoming campaign. He is in his prime and playing like it at EuroBasket. He holds the longest active playoff drought in the NBA. The seven-foot-forward has logged 450 games across eight seasons. That dry spell probably won’t end if he continues to play his home games in Salt Lake City this year.

Teams will come calling, looking to change that. The Eastern Conference is wide open. Someone could decide it’s worth paying what it will take to pry Markkanen from Utah to help them scale up. Title contenders in the gauntlet that is the Western Conference could also share that mentality.

The former Arizona Wildcat is no stranger to having his name bandied about in trade rumors. The Jazz can justify keeping him, as rumors again run rampant. There is value in having him there to help guide Bailey at the onset of his career.

Plus, with all due respect, Utah has not proven to be an attractive destination for star free agents. They can afford to carry Markkanen’s contract on the books as his extension kicks in. The best players are typically changing teams via trade, rather than reaching the end of their contracts anyway. Having a high salary at its disposal could help Utah trade for a potential future target.

Lauri Markkanen’s contract may prove the most significant factor in his immediate NBA future. However, his dominant display at EuroBasket is a forceful reminder to teams around the Association of his potential impact in the playoffs.