Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
Just last offseason, there were whispers that the Utah Jazz were entertaining the idea of trading Lauri Markkanen. Even though the Jazz ended up keeping him on the roster and offering him a huge contract extension, I can't help but wonder if it may be in the best interest to go back to the negotiating table to potentially explore the possibility of a trade once again. With where both the Jazz and Markkanen stand, I'm not sure their futures intersect with each other much.
If one thing has been loud and clear with Utah's lack of moves over the last two seasons, it's the fact that they're in the midst of a long rebuild and don't have much interest in pushing for talent to surround Markkanen with right now. Let's be honest; if the Jazz wanted to trade for a win-now player to build next to Markkanen, they would've done so by now. Especially at this year's NBA Trade Deadline, the opportunity was there for the franchise. They just elected against it.
At this point, Markkanen might be better served by asking for a trade. He's going to be 28 years old by the time next season begins and unless the Jazz can make a significant move during the offseason (or land a top 3 pick in the loaded 2025 NBA Draft), it's going to be difficult to envision how Utah's timeline lines up with Markkanen's. If it's necessary, I believe Markkanen should be willing to demand a trade from Utah. There are no reasons why Markkanen shouldn't explore such a path unless he just really loves the city. And, hey, maybe that is the case. If it is, you have to respect that.
But from a strict basketball perspective, it makes all the sense in the world for Markkanen to demand a trade sooner rather than later. He's already made his money (especially after signing the huge contract with the Jazz) and he's at a point in his career where he's ready to win now. The Jazz are clearly not at that point in their rebuild. It's probably time for both of them to move on from each other. The question is, will that actually happen?