The Miami Heat have joined the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings in trading for Lauri Markkanen. The Jazz are listening to trade offers on Markkanen ahead of a possible renegotiate-and-extend deal with him when they are allowed to do so in August. For the Heat, Markkanen would give them a floor spacer between Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, as well as another shot creator.
Because the teams interested in Markkanen, beyond San Antonio, do not possess cap space, they could not extend him at a realistic number ahead of his free agency in 2025, there could be an increase in trade value if Utah extends him first. The Jazz would have to take on more money in a trade of Markkanen under that scenario. Before the 2024 trade deadline, Markkanen went on record hoping to remain with th eJazz.
Markkanen has become an All-Star since joining the Jazz in 2022 from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Markkanen joined the Cavaliers in 2021 on a four-year, $67 million sign-and-trade from the Chicago Bulls. During that 2021 offseason, Markkanen had expected to end up with the Spurs as part of a double sign-and-trade involving DeMar DeRozan.
Markkanen is represented by Michael Lelchitski.
Via Zach Lowe/ESPN
