Jazz star Lauri Markkanen seems prone to delay signing his new extension till after Tuesday so he can be sure that he gained’t be traded this season, league sources inform Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports activities.
Markkanen will change into extension eligible on August 6, which is precisely six months earlier than the NBA’s commerce deadline. Contract extensions set off a six-month moratorium on trades, so if he waits till August 7 or later to simply accept the brand new deal, Markkanen can guarantee that he’ll spend the complete upcoming season with Utah.
Veteran extensions are restricted to a 40% elevate within the first yr, so Markkanen would usually be taking a look at $25,262,362 because the beginning wage in his subsequent contract. However as a result of the Jazz nonetheless have greater than $35MM in cap room, they will renegotiate his wage for 2024/25 from $18MM to $42,176,400 and begin the extension primarily based on that quantity, giving him one thing within the neighborhood of a max deal.
With the clock ticking on Markkanen’s extension eligibility, it seems much less possible that he’ll be traded earlier than he can signal a brand new cope with Utah. The Jazz have reportedly been listening to affords, however have stated they aren’t actively making an attempt to maneuver their All-Star ahead.
Sources inform Fischer that the Kings and Warriors have each tried to deal for Markkanen because the begin of free company. Sacramento made “important progress” in negotiations earlier than commerce talks collapsed in early July, Fischer provides. Golden State has additionally made affords for Markkanen, however Fischer’s sources say that Utah has prioritized Brandin Podziemski or Jonathan Kuminga, who’re each considered as starters for the Warriors this season.
Fischer additionally hears that the Spurs have expressed curiosity in Markkanen ever since he was a restricted free agent again in 2021, and San Antonio had hoped to amass Markkanen within the sign-and-trade deal that despatched DeMar DeRozan to Chicago that summer season. The Thunder additionally had curiosity in Markkanen on the time, Fischer provides.
Fischer factors out that Utah already has a big assortment of first-round picks and commerce swaps, so there’s restricted worth in buying extra draft belongings in alternate for Markkanen, a 27-year-old who’s taking part in at an All-Star stage and needs to remain in Salt Lake Metropolis. Fischer believes that aside from the Kings, a lot of the commerce discuss surrounding Markkanen this summer season has been “preliminary at greatest.”
Bobby Marks and Tim MacMahon of ESPN additionally study the Markkanen scenario, together with the prospects of a last-minute commerce. Their sources point out that the Warriors and Jazz haven’t come near reaching a deal, with one supply saying Golden State is being “very protecting” of Podziemski.
