The Eurobasket propels an NBA star towards a possible mega trade
Lauri Markkanen, from the Utah Jazz, is increasing his value and interest for his signing thanks to the European tournament
The Eurobasket 2025 is progressing towards its next round, with Finland still alive in the tournament. Not only that, but they have one of the big stars: Lauri Markkanen. The player is performing at such a high level that interest has grown in the NBA to negotiate a transfer with Utah Jazz.
After signing a multimillion-dollar extension with Utah Jazz in August 2024 —five years and 238 million dollars—, the player seemed destined to be the cornerstone of the rebuilding process in Salt Lake City in the league. However, the 2024-25 season left a bitter taste: his PER dropped from 21.2 to 15.6, and his value in trade rumors practically vanished.
Now, with a contract secured until the 2028-29 season, Markkanen has 'resurrected' in the NBA Rumors. ESPN journalist Zach Lowe summed it up in his podcast: “If Markkanen regains his form, based on his contract and the versatility he brings, he could be the most interesting candidate in the entire NBA for a trade. In three or four months, if Utah continues to lose at the expected rate, it will be inevitable that his name reappears in the market”.
Lowe's view aligns with previous reports from Brian Windhorst (ESPN), who had already revealed in March that the Jazz had promised the player a “timely move towards competitiveness” when he signed his extension. So far, the franchise has trimmed its roster and continues to accumulate young players and draft picks, a plan hardly compatible with Markkanen's competitive ambition.
Utah, balancing between reconstruction and market pressure
The Jazz are in a delicate situation. The Western Conference is more demanding than ever, with teams like Denver, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, or even Sacramento clearly on the rise. Danny Ainge and the Utah management have chosen patience, accumulating future assets rather than established pieces. Therefore, trading Lauri Markkanen would be even more beneficial for them.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Eurobasket catapulta a una estrella NBA a un posible mega traspaso
