One of the biggest names in trade talks this summer has been Lauri Markkanen, who finally decided to stay with Utah after months of speculation.
New Contract Details:
The Finnish star signed a five-year, $238 million contract extension, which includes $220 million in new money. His agent Michael Lelchitski confirmed this on Wednesday. Lauri had one year left on his old contract worth $18 million but used the team’s salary cap space to bump up his 2024-25 pay to $24 million.
Trade Restrictions:
With this new deal, Markkanen can’t be traded for the next six months, meaning he stays past the February 6th deadline and won’t be moved until next offseason.
Utah Jazz All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen has signed a five-year, $238 million contract renegotiation and extension โ including $220 million in new money, his agent Michael Lelchitski of @SIGSports tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn)
Loyalty to Utah:
Despite interest from teams like Golden State Warriors, Lauri waited until he was eligible for an extension before making his decision. He expressed trust in the Jazz organization and praised owner Ryan Smith, CEO Danny Ainge, GM Justin Zanik, and coach Will Hardy. “Theyโve all showed their belief in me,” said Lauri. “I trust in the organization to help grow me as a person and a player.”
Impressive Stats:
Since joining Utah two years ago, Markkanen has averaged 24.5 points per game compared to 15.4 points during his time with Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls. In 2023, he won NBAโs Most Improved Player award and made his first All-Star team.
Fans love how he’s blossomed here!
Relief from Trade Talks:
With the new contract signed, Lauri is relieved not to worry about trades for at least another season. “Itโs a weight off my shoulders,” he said. “I can focus only on playing basketball at a high level.”
Historical Achievements:
Lauri joins Dirk Nowitzki and Channing Frye as one of three seven-foot players to make over a thousand three-pointers in NBA history. He’s also unique for hitting 175 shots from range in multiple seasons.
Journey So Far:
Markkanen’s journey began when he was drafted No. 7 overall by Timberwolves in 2017 but traded to Bulls for Jimmy Butler package. He then became key acquisition for Jazz after being traded from Cavaliers for Donovan Mitchell.
“Utah embraced me immediately,” said Lauri about moving there with his family. “It’s been an easy transition both on and off the court.”
