Lauri Markkanen has been the subject of trade speculation for over a year, and it appears those rumors are heating up again.
Markkanen signed a four-year, $195.9 million max extension last August, making him ineligible to be traded for six months. That restriction has now lifted, and with the Jazz coming off a disastrous season—the worst record in the NBA and only the No. 5 pick in the draft—there’s growing belief that Utah will look to rebuild around younger pieces and future assets.
Utah Jazz Likely To Trade Markkanen According To Insider
According to insider Bill Simmons, the Utah Jazz are expected to make the 27-year-old forward available this summer.
There’s a belief around the league that the Jazz are open to listening to trade offers for Lauri Markkanen, per @BillSimmons
(h/t @esidery ) pic.twitter.com/YdhGZGpoxv
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 9, 2025
Simmons told his viewers on his podcast that it’s widely considered: “…around the league, people seem to think Markkanen isn’t, not available.”
Despite averaging 19 points per game on a 52% effective field goal percentage, Markkanen’s production dipped from his 2023 All-Star campaign, averaging more than 25 points per game. He remains a valuable trade chip as a stretch-four with elite floor-spacing ability. However, he has limitations on the defensive end—his defensive box plus-minus last season was a -2.1, according to Basketball Reference.
Would The Lakers Fit?
The Los Angeles Lakers are among the teams linked to Markkanen. While he could provide valuable spacing alongside LeBron James and Luka Dončić, concerns about his defensive fit are valid.
On his own, Markkanen doesn’t check the boxes the Lakers need in their frontcourt. He’s not a rim protector or defensive anchor—both critical traits for supporting Dončić, who’s known more for his scoring than his on-ball defense. A deal might make more sense if Utah includes a player like Walker Kessler or the Lakers land a defensive-minded center in free agency.
Other Potential Trade Fits
The Golden State Warriors were previously the most aggressive team for the player; he seems a perfect fit for the Warriors’ floor spacing style.
Before the Jazz extension for the star player, Golden State reportedly refused to include rising players Jonathan Kuminga or Brandin Podziemski. According to Shams Charania, the final offer included Moses Moody, multiple first-round picks, pick swaps, and second-rounders—but it wasn’t enough.
Warriors final offer for Lauri Markkanen:
Moses Moody, multiple first-round picks, pick swaps and second-rounders, per @ShamsCharania
Golden State refused to offer Brandin Podziemski pic.twitter.com/SHs2i8yqHA
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 6, 2024
That trade could be revisited. Markkanen’s fit next to Stephen Curry and Golden State’s spacing-heavy offense is obvious. Kuminga, while talented, doesn’t complement Curry and Jimmy Butler III as well as Markkanen potentially could.
However, NBA insider Jake Weinbach tweeted other suggestions:
The Heat, Pistons, Sixers, and Spurs are among the teams that could check-in on Lauri Markkanen’s availability this summer.
It’s unclear if the Jazz are willing to entertain offers on the All-Star forward, but there should be firm interest in Markkanen’s services once again.
— Jake Weinbach (@JWeinbachNBA) June 7, 2025
The Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, and San Antonio Spurs (if they don’t land Kevin Durant) are the most likely to be active in trade talks for the Jazz forward, per Weinbach. The Heat and Pistons make sense; Miami could pair him with Tyler Herro to propel them into a better team in the East.
The Pistons also lack a consistent secondary scoring option to add spacing for Cade Cunningham. They were so close to beating the New York Knicks in the playoffs; they needed more scoring, and he’d address that. Meanwhile, the Spurs would love to complement Wembanyama.
It will be interesting to see if any teams make a run for Markkanen during the 2025 NBA season or if the Jazz hold firm.