"
The Jazz have parted ways with veterans
Jordan Clarkson,
John Collins and
Collin Sexton this summer, clearing the way for Utah's collection of young picks to develop and be evaluated during another season that is likely to end with the best possible lottery odds.
This has prompted a lot of scouts and executives to wonder whether the Jazz would trade 28-year-old Markkanen next, as new president of basketball operations Austin Ainge takes over as the primary decision-maker in the franchise's rebuild.
That is not Utah's intention, sources told ESPN.
It would be too much to describe Markkanen as untouchable, but the Jazz still project the All-Star forward as a key player in their future core.
Utah listened to offers for Markkanen last summer, but none of the talks with other teams ever came close to tempting CEO Danny Ainge and GM Justin Zanik to make a trade. The Jazz ultimately awarded Markkanen a five-year, $238 million maximum renegotiation and extension, allowing him to sign the deal last Aug. 7 and making him ineligible to be traded before last season's deadline.
That contract isn't a concern for Jazz governor Ryan Smith, whose roster is loaded with rookie deals. However, opposing executives said the money does dampen Markkanen's theoretical trade value, particularly as he's coming off the worst shooting season of his career, albeit in challenging circumstances.
It would take quite a haul for the Jazz to consider moving Markkanen, probably requiring him to restore his value by performing well for those kinds of offers to come the Jazz's way.
The hope in Utah, however, is that Markkanen is still in a Jazz uniform when the franchise eventually becomes competitive again."
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Obviously we aren't trading Lauri now as his trade value is at rock bottom. We'll see in the future. Ace is years away and so is Hendricks and Lauri is near the end of his prime.
