The Utah Jazz just can’t seem to stay out of the headlines. After ending their 2024–25 season with a disappointing (17–65) record, the team missed the playoffs entirely. This prompted the front office to go into overdrive this offseason in hopes of reshaping the roster.
However, instead of a smooth rebuild, drama continued to swirl. First came the speculation surrounding their 2025 NBA Draft pick, Ace Bailey, who many believed wasn’t thrilled about joining Utah.
And now, just before preseason tips off, a new storm is brewing: The Jazz are reportedly “very open” to cutting ties with one of their players.
NBA Insider Has Made a Revelation Regarding a Possible Move of the Utah Jazz
According to a recent report by Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, the Golden State Warriors made a strong offer to the Jazz during the offseason to pursue Lauri Markkanen. However, Utah decided not to move forward with the deal at that time.
Mannix also added that, despite rejecting the initial trade offer, the Jazz may still be open to trading Markkanen in the near future.
“Lauri Markkanen is the name I hear most frequently. Utah passed on an offer from Golden State for Markkanen in the summer of 2024, believing a stronger market would materialize. It didn’t, and right now there is a belief that the Jazz are very open for business on their 28-year-old ex-All-Star,” read a part of Mannix’s report.
The Utah Jazz are “very open” to trading Lauri Markkanen, per @SIChrisMannix
His name is brought up most frequently when discussing names to watch at the trade deadline
(https://t.co/oJwQtXrVlh) pic.twitter.com/tltWbAJAD6
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 8, 2025
The Finnish forward entered the NBA in 2017, drafted seventh overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded on draft night to the Chicago Bulls.
Over four seasons in Chicago, he carved out a reputation as one of the league’s most skilled shooting big men. Then, after a stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Markkanen found his breakout moment when he was traded to the Jazz in 2022 as part of the blockbuster Donovan Mitchell trade.
Lauri Markkanen’s Journey With the Utah Jazz
In Utah, Markkanen quickly became an All-Star-caliber player. In his first season, he averaged 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while shooting efficiently from the field.
Moreover, the Jazz recognized his value and rewarded him in 2024 with a massive four-year, $195.8 million contract extension, effectively naming him the face of the franchise, as per Spotrac.
However, things took a downward turn last year. Markkanen’s 2024–25 campaign was riddled with injuries and inconsistency.
He played just 47 games and averaged 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, which is a noticeable dip from his previous season’s production. While those numbers aren’t poor by any stretch, they do show a regression for a player who was expected to lead a rebuilding team.
To make matters worse, Markkanen’s health woes appear to be continuing. Reports suggest that he’s expected to miss the entire preseason due to a left wrist contusion, sidelining him as the Jazz prepare for their preseason opener against the Houston Rockets on October 8.
“I feel better, making progress every day. Sucks to watch on the sidelines, you’re itching to get out there…I’m not sure what the exact date is when I’m gonna start, but been doing rehab every day and working out and feeling better,” said Markkanen regarding his injury.
While Mannix didn’t explicitly state why Utah is reconsidering Markkanen’s future, if we see it, it’s not hard to connect the dots. Between his injury struggles, declining stats, and the team’s ongoing rebuild, the Jazz could be exploring ways to capitalize on his value while they still can.
As things stand, Utah’s front office faces a critical decision. Stick with Markkanen as their cornerstone, or hit the reset button once again.
