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Lauri Markkanen Unlikely to Sign New Utah Jazz Deal Amid Golden State Warriors Trade Rumors; NBA Insider Reveals
Lauri Markkanen is among the few high-profile names available in the market for top teams, and he is reluctant to sign a new deal with the Utah Jazz.
Tony Jones of The Athletic reports that Lauri Markkanen is "unlikely" to sign a long-term contract extension with the Utah Jazz by Tuesday. Markkanen will be able to seek a contract extension on Tuesday, which could result in a pay raise from $18 million to $25 million in 2024–25.
Although the Warriors and Jazz have "not come close" on a potential deal in talks, ESPN's Bobby Marks and Tim MacMahon reported on Monday that the Golden State Warriors have been the "most aggressive" suitor for the forward on the trade market. According to Marks and MacMahon, the Warriors have been "very protective" of guard Brandon Podziemski, 21, but Utah has shown interest in him during trade talks.
The Warriors have not included forward Jonathan Kuminga, who is coming off a standout 2023–24 campaign, or center Podziemski in their trade proposals for Markkanen, according to NBA insider Marc Stein's report on Sunday.
The Warriors are counting on the possibility of finding new ground for a deal with the Jazz by not including Podziemski or Kuminga. This risk could backfire on them if they depend on Markkanen's services to be a championship-caliber club. The Golden State Warriors will be without Klay Thompson for the upcoming season, and they are desperate to add a superstar to take the place left by him.
However, Markkanen may be unable to move teams for some time due to his impending decision to extend his contract. The 27-year-old won't be able to be traded until the trade deadline on February 6 if he signs a new contract to remain with the team on August 6. Utah wouldn't be allowed to trade him until the conclusion of the 2024–25 season if he waits at least one more day and signs a new contract on August 7 or later.
Even though Markkanen has only played for the Jazz for two seasons, he might not be traded during the season. On July 26, Jones had previously disclosed that the 2023 All-Star "doesn't want to be traded." Markkanen had a fantastic 2023–24 season with Utah despite not being selected as an All-Star for the second year in a row. In 55 games, he shot 48.0 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from beyond the arc, finishing with an average of 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
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