NBA
One NBA insider believes the Jazz will not have Lauri Markkanen on the roster in 2026-27
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated58 minutes ago on October 13, 2025
Over the last three seasons, Lauri Markkanen has been the top dog in Utah. Ahead of 2022-23, the Jazz and Cavaliers were involved in a massive trade. Donovan Mitchell was sent to Cleveland.
In that deal, the Jazz acquired three future first-round draft picks, Collin Sexton, and Lauri Markkanen. Last season, Markkanen’s production took a slight step back with Utah. According to NBA insiders, the veteran PF could be a trade candidate in 2025-26. Zach Lowe of The Ringer reported that he “can’t imagine a scenario” where Lauri Markkanen is with the Jazz in 2026-27.
Will the 2025-26 season be Lauri Markkanen’s final year with the Jazz?
“I can’t imagine a scenario where Lauri Markkanen is on the Jazz in a year.”
– Zach Lowe
(h/t @sltrib ) pic.twitter.com/qNDUIRyYOv
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 11, 2025
The 2022-23 season was Lauri Markkanen’s sixth year in the NBA and first with the Jazz. He played and started 66 games for Utah. Markkanen averaged a career-high 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 34.4 minutes per game. Additionally, Lauri Markkanen was named a first-time all-star that season and Most Improved Player in 22-’23. In each season since then, the all-star’s production has taken a step back for the Jazz. During his 2024-25 campaign, Lauri Markkanen started 47 of 82 games for Utah.
His 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game were his lowest averages in three seasons with the Jazz. Last summer, the team signed Lauri Markkanen to a four-year, $195 million contract extension. He’s under contract with Utah through the 2028-29 season. However, one NBA insider doesn’t see Lauri Markkanen lasting much longer as a member of the Jazz.
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
Zach Lowe said, “I can’t imagine a scenario where Lauri Markkanen is on the Jazz in a year.” There has been buzz this offseason about teams trading for Lauri Markkanen. The 28-year-old is still in his prime and could be a key piece for a contender. Utah’s upcoming season will be telling for the direction of the team. Will they keep a franchise cornerstone in Lauri Markkanen or part ways with him to add more draft capital?
As we saw during the 2024-25 season, no player is truly untouchable. Many believed Luka Doncic would play his entire career for Dallas. That was until the team traded him to the Lakers. What would stop the Jazz from trading Lauri Markkanen? Utah is not a contender in the West. They’re in a clear rebuild and could add serious draft capital by trading Markkanen to a contender. We’ll wait and see how the 2025-26 season plays out. If the Jazz are near the bottom of the league come February, Lauri Markkanen might be traded.
