Will Lauri Markkanen and Jazz Sign a New Contract?
SALT LAKE CITY: The Utah Jazz are hoping to sign Lauri Markkanen to a contract extension as they head into the offseason after missing the playoffs the previous two seasons.
The Jazz have the option to extend Markkanen’s current contract by four years for a total estimated value of $160 million. The current deal expires in the summer of 2025.
The Jazz front office has expressed a desire to sign the All-Star forward to an extension when he becomes available in August, despite the fact that priorities can shift quickly during the offseason.
What Was Markkanen’s Statement Regarding the Signing Extension?
Before the summer break, Markkanen talked about his approach to contract negotiations.
“I’ve witnessed instances in the NBA where individuals have declined extensions or signed them too soon,” Markkanen stated. “Now that I’ve kind of seen everything, I need to take a seat and consider this.”
The former seventh-overall selection, who started his career in Chicago before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021, has firsthand experience with the business end of the NBA.
After spending a season in Cleveland, the Cavaliers traded Markkanen to the Jazz in a sensational deal for Donovan Mitchell, which set up the Finnish forward’s ascent to prominence as Utah’s top option.
Markkanen has enjoyed his time with the Jazz even though he hasn’t yet qualified for the postseason in Utah.
“My family and I enjoy being here, as I have mentioned on several occasions, especially now that they have a hockey team,” Markkanen jokingly said. “However, I’ve also been highlighting the winning aspect.”
Is Jazz Able to Get Better With Markkanen?
The Jazz haven’t wavered in their message that they want to bolster the team, but their efforts haven’t always resulted in rewards right away.
The Jazz acquired future draft capital in exchange for veterans Mike Conley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker during Markkanen’s first season in Utah.
They went through the same procedure in February when they sent out Kelly Olynyk, Simone Fontecchio, and Ochai Agbaji at the trade deadline; their only long-term gain was future draft selections.
Regarding the Jazz front office, Markkanen remarked, “They had to make those difficult decisions and obviously they want to win championships as well.” “I’ll have to trust those guys because they’re working hard toward that goal and I think we have a lot of good people in this organization who have proven they can handle the job.”
With $40 million in cap space and an abundance of draft picks, the Jazz will be able to extend Markkanen through the summer, still have extra space in their budget, and still add a number of players via the draft or trade.
However, Markkanen understands that he and Justin Zanik are not the only ones who have to work to get the Jazz back to the postseason.
Markkanen continued, “One way to affect that is just to get so much better and work on your game that it speeds up.” “Our team will obviously play better the better I play, which will speed up the process.”
The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 26–27, and free agency begins on July 1. The Jazz will have plenty of time this summer to assemble a roster before Markkanen becomes eligible for an extension on August 6.
