3 Lauri Markkanen trades to shift the balance of power in the NBA
The Utah Jazz are leaving teams with the impression that Lauri Markkanen is available for the right price, according to Yahoo's Jake Fischer. The Jazz are asking for a lot, but Markkanen could end up as the season's most coveted trade target ahead of the February deadline.
The 7-footer from Finland could cost "five-ish [first-round picks] and/or players of comparable value," per Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer. That's right in line with what the Jazz received for Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert a couple summers ago.
At first blush, that sounds steep — and it is. But, Markkanen is a 26-year-old All-Star with two years of team control left on his contract. He's making a shade over $17 million annually, which is an absolute bargain relative to his current output. With how the NBA trade market has shaped up in recent years, not to mention the financial implications of affordable contracts under the new CBA, it's probably a fair price. At the very least, it's a launch point for negotiations.
Markkanen's skill set is malleable to just about any environment. The line of interested parties should stretch around the block. For our purposes, let's focus on three realistic Markkanen trades that could shift the balance of power in the NBA.
3. Magic can cement contender status with Lauri Markkanen trade
orlando
The Orlando Magic are the fifth-youngest NBA team with an average age of 24.792 years, per the NBA. That makes their 16-9 start all the more surprising. We saw glimmers of Orlando's upward trajectory last season, but few could have predicted such an impressive stretch to open the 2023-24 campaign.
It's too early to firmly plant Orlando in the contender's circle, but the Magic currently occupy the No. 4 seed in the East and there's every reason to believe their success is sustainable. The Magic need to up the 3-point volume, but Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are legitimate foundational stars on the wing. Collectively, the Magic own the NBA's No. 4-ranked defense. Jalen Suggs is on track for All-Defense (and Most Improved Player) votes. Cole Anthony is arguably the best sixth-man guard in the NBA right now. Plus, Jonathan Isaac is as talented a defender as you will find in a restrictive bench role.
Orlando has depth, burgeoning star power, and a bright young coach with the full support of his locker room. The great thing about Markkanen is that he would fit the timeline while leaning into the Magic's emphasis on length and versatility. Most importantly, Markkanen is a bombs-away shooter. He's averaging 8.4 attempts per game from 3-point range with a 39.0 percent success rate. He would improve Orlando's spacing around Banchero and Wagner while delivering a truly reliable No. 1 scorer for the postseason.
The Magic would have to figure out the periphery of the starting five. Assuming Wendell Carter Jr. and the center rotation stay locked, Orlando would probably boot Anthony Black from the starting five to make room for Markkanen. That leaves more ball-handling duties on Jalen Suggs' plate, but Orlando has a couple of legitimate halfcourt creators on the wing. Banchero and Wagner can keep the offense afloat. It's not a traditional setup, but what is nowadays?
A trade for Markkanen would announce Orlando's desire to contend for the next decade with its current core.