Teams interested in Lauri Markkanen are numerous. It must be said that with his profile, his All-Star status and his contract which ends in 2025, he represents a particularly attractive element for certain teams.
The first names mentioned are those of the Warriors and the Spurs, but also the Kings, the Pelicans and the Wolves. For his part, ESPN adds the Heat to that list of contenders.
However, things could still take a few weeks to get moving. Jazz boss Danny Ainge is a tough negotiator and he won't let go of Lauri Markkanen without getting his way.
And since most of the interested teams – except the Spurs – do not have the financial space to extend the Finn, it would be more interesting to wait for the Jazz to extend the former Cleveland player in August. This would not only be a good thing for the Heat or the other interested franchises but it would also, at the same time, be beneficial for Utah: with two or three additional years of contract, Danny Ainge will be able to ask for even more.
For Miami, that interest is not without meaning. Jimmy Butler and his crew have struggled offensively this season, posting only the 21st-most efficient offense in the league. And Lauri Markkanen, with his 23.2 points average on 40% 3-point shooting, would be a perfect reinforcement in that area to support Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
| Lauri Markkanen | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | CHI | 68 | 30 | 43.4 | 36.2 | 84.3 | 1.2 | 6.3 | 7.5 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 15.2 |
| 2018-19 | CHI | 52 | 32 | 43.0 | 36.1 | 87.2 | 1.4 | 7.6 | 9.0 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 18.7 |
| 2019-20 | CHI | 50 | 30 | 42.5 | 34.4 | 82.4 | 1.2 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 14.7 |
| 2020-21 | CHI | 51 | 26 | 48.0 | 40.2 | 82.6 | 0.7 | 4.6 | 5.3 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 13.6 |
| 2021-22 | KEY | 61 | 31 | 44.5 | 35.8 | 86.8 | 1.0 | 4.7 | 5.7 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 14.8 |
| 2022-23 | UTH | 66 | 34 | 49.9 | 39.1 | 87.5 | 2.0 | 6.7 | 8.6 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 25.6 |
| 2023-24 | UTH | 55 | 33 | 48.0 | 39.9 | 89.9 | 2.2 | 6.0 | 8.2 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 23.2 |
| Total | 403 | 31 | 45.9 | 37.5 | 86.6 | 1.4 | 5.9 | 7.3 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 18.1 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
