Offseason trade proposal sends Lauri Markkanen to Pistons

March 20, 2025

One NBA analyst proposed that the Detroit Pistons acquire Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz this offseason.

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

Detroit Pistons Receive: PF Lauri Markkanen, SG Collin Sexton

Utah Jazz Receive: SG Jaden Ivey, SF, Ron Holland II, F/C Isaiah Stewart, F Tobias Harris, 2027 first-round pick (top-10 protected)

Markkanen signed a four-year, $195 million extension with the Jazz in August.

It was a renegotiation-and-extend deal.

“Markkanen will be trade eligible this offseason and would be the perfect starting power forward to place alongside players like Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson with his scoring and floor-spacing ability,” Swartz wrote. “Now in a full-scale rebuild, the Jazz flip Markkanen (who turns 28 in May) for a pair of high-ceiling prospects, role players and yet another future first-round pick.”

Markkanen will make $46,394,100 next season. The forward will become an unrestricted free agent in 2029.

The 27-year-old Markkanen has career averages of 18.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists with the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Jazz. He won the 2022-23 Most Improved Player of the Year Award in his first season with Utah.

According to NBA insiders Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Markkanen signed an extension with the Jazz with the understanding that the franchise would have a timely return to competing.

Utah has the worst record in the Western Conference right now.

Markkanen has appeared in 47 games this season. He’s averaging 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

“When Markkanen waited to sign his four-year, $220 million contract extension last August, he waited until rules prevented him from being traded this season,” Bontemps and Windhorst wrote. “But his commitment to the franchise came with an understanding, league sources said, that the Jazz would have a timely turn toward competing. For the moment, that path isn’t clear — and Markkanen can be traded after the season.”