Offseason trade proposal sends Lauri Markkanen to Thunder

One NBA writer proposed that the Oklahoma City Thunder trade for Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen this offseason. 

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

Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: F Lauri Markkanen

Utah Jazz Receive: PG Nikola Topić, G Isaiah Joe, G Aaron Wiggins, F Kenrich Williams, F Ousmane Dieng, 2025 first-round pick (top-14 protected via Miami Heat), 2026 first-round pick

Markkanen signed a four-year, $195 million extension with the Jazz in August. It was a renegotiation-and-extend deal. 

One of the best scorers in the NBA, Markkanen will be trade-eligible this offseason.

“Adding Markkanen to a core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace and others doesn’t seem fair for the rest of the NBA, but this is precisely the kind of move the asset-rich Thunder can afford to make,” Swartz wrote. “OKC is deep enough to be able to acquire a former All-Star like Markkanen without giving up any of its core pieces and still has a massive amount of first-round picks to offer as well. Markkanen is a low-maintenance star who would fit in well with this group as a third-fourth scoring option who brings size and floor-stretching to the starting frontcourt.”

Markkanen will make $46,394,100 next season. The talented big man 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 at 15-56. 

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.”

The Thunder might win the championship this season. If they get Markkanen, they could become a dynasty.