Lauri

Markkanen

After struggling with his shot in Monday’s exhibition against the Rockets, Markkanen was much better in Dallas. This is the production level he’s capable of and why he tends to be no worse than a third-round pick in most drafts. The concern for fantasy managers is a potential shutdown if the Jazz aren’t fighting for a postseason berth. But that should not be used as a reason to let him slip out of the third round.

After having no issues against the New Zealand Breakers on Friday, Markkanen had an off-night on Monday. He struggled from the floor but still led the team in scoring by making a big impact from the free throw line. Markkanen should be drafted in the first few rounds in drafts this year, and there is no reason to be scared off by a poor preseason performance. He won’t struggle like this often.

Markkanen has been a coveted trade target for quite a few teams this offseason, but Utah is locking him down for the long haul. The one-time All-Star appears set to continue serving as the Jazz’s franchise centerpiece for the foreseeable future. Even with the risk of Markkanen being shut down late in the season if Utah again looks to increase its lottery odds, he’s worth selecting with a second-round pick in standard league drafts.

Markkanen will sign the deal after Tuesday, meaning he can’t be traded during 2024-25 campaign. This update walks back a Monday report that Markkanen would not sign long-term deal with the Jazz and either get traded during the upcoming season or hit unrestricted free agency with a big payday. The terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but Markkanen will be Utah’s foundational cornerstone for the foreseeable future. Fantasy managers can expect top-25 per-game production for years to come.

Markkanen is set to hit unrestricted free agency next summer, and he’ll surely command a huge salary on the open market. By not signing, he can renegotiate with the Jazz throughout the season, potentially get traded by February, or hit free agency next summer if no new deal or no trade materializes by the end of the 2024-25 campaign. Markkanen has been linked to Golden State, and if he doesn’t sign a new contract with Utah, he’ll likely be pursued heavily by the Warriors. If Markkanen re-signs with the Jazz after August 6, the team will not be able to trade him during the 2024-25 season.

Utah is listening to calls regarding Markkanen, but that does not mean they’re actively looking to trade the 2023 NBA Most Improved Player. The conversations could become serious if the team is presented with a massive offer that it cannot refuse, like the one that prompted Brooklyn to trade Mikal Bridges to the Knicks. According to Fischer, Golden State, Minnesota, San Antonio, and Sacramento are teams that have registered interest in completing a deal.

Markkanen’s latest timeline for re-evaluation will take him through the remaining games of the season, so he’s done in 2023-24. He’ll finish his second campaign in a Jazz uniform with averages of 23.2 points, 8.2 boards, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 3.2 triples in just 55 appearances. The assists, steals and triples are all career-bests for Markkanen, who also shot a personal best from the charity stripe with an 89.9% mark. In his absence, Brice Sensabaugh and Johnny Juzang should see increased minutes for the final fortnight of the season.

Markkanen will sit after logging 42 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Spurs. His absence opens up a spot in the starting lineup, with Juzang and Brice Sensabaugh being the top options. Sensabaugh offers a higher fantasy ceiling if he receives the starting nod.

Markkanen played 42 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Spurs after initially being listed as questionable. While the Jazz won’t play another back-to-back until the season’s final week, being eliminated from postseason contention could result in more time on the shelf for Lauri. As for Juzang, he has played rotation minutes off the bench, but the production has been enough to make him a player worth rostering in fantasy.

Markkanen has been in and out of the lineup over the past week and a half, but he was able to suit up for a second straight game and log 42 minutes. His production has been elite when he is on the floor, as he has at least 20 points in every game that he has played in the month of March. The bad part is that he has only played in five games this month. They don’t play another back-to-back until the final week of the season, so hopefully Markkanen will be more available going forward. However, based on how they managed him at the end of last season after they were pretty much out of the playoff race, managers shouldn’t be optimistic.