NBA Trade Proposal Sends Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen To Lakers

June 4, 2025

One NBA analyst is proposing that the Los Angeles Lakers acquire Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz this offseason.

Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Lakers and Jazz:

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: F Lauri Markkanen

Utah Jazz Receive: F Rui Hachimura, G/F Dalton Knecht, PG Gabe Vincent, F Maxi Kleber, 2031 first-round pick (unprotected)

Markkanen appeared in 47 games for the Jazz this season. He averaged 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.4 blocks while shooting 42.3% from the field, 34.6% from beyond the arc and 87.6% from the free-throw line.

A one-time All-Star, Markkanen will make $46,394,100 next season.

The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of this year’s playoffs despite having LeBron James and Luka Doncic.

Meanwhile, the Jazz missed the playoffs for the third straight year.

“The Lakers will always be on the hunt for stars yet are limited in trade assets after acquiring Doncic at the deadline,” Swartz wrote. “Markkanen is probably the best level of player Los Angeles can reasonably acquire and would be a strong third option behind Doncic and James.

“Adding a 7-footer who can play either forward position and fill short bursts as a stretch-5 gives the Lakers a ton of versatility with their lineups and helps an offense that ranked 12th out of 16 teams this postseason. This trade would leave the Lakers with a core of Doncic, Austin Reaves, Markkanen, James, Dorian Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt.”

Markkanen has played for the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Jazz. He has career averages of 18.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks.

The 28-year-old Markkanen won the 2023 Most Improved Player of the Year Award with Utah.

“A future unprotected pick from the Lakers in 2031 when James has (probably??) retired is valuable for Utah,” Swartz wrote. “Adding Knecht as a young core piece to a team that finished 22nd overall in three-point shooting is attractive as well.

“Hachimura (13.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 41.3 percent shooting from three) has value and would likely be flipped to a contender, and the Jazz should be happy to add Vincent’s championship experience to a young point guard rotation that features Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier.”