Lauri Markkanen has been stuck with the Utah Jazz since 2022, when the Cleveland Cavaliers traded him as a part of the deal that brought Donovan Mitchell to Northeast Ohio. Despite the constant trade rumors, the high-scoring forward has gone absolutely nowhere else during that stretch.
Markkanen has been the focus of speculation since before the season started. Many people just want to see such a talented player move on and start playing more meaningful basketball. None of that has come to pass.
The good news for Markkanen, at least, is that Utah appears to be trending in the right direction. At 10-15, the Jazz are confidently in the mix for the final Western Conference Play-In spot. With that being the case, Michael Scotto reported Lauri was more locked in as a member of the team than ever.
Reporting on Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen, including which teams NBA executives have linked the most with past trade interest, why Utah wants to build with him, and what’s next this summer for their cap space and the future of Walker Kessler with @ChrisShearnYES on @YESNetwork. pic.twitter.com/BXhSImXF2z
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) December 16, 2025
Scotto said, "If they're going to be in the lottery this year, they hope that that's the last time for the foreseeable future. ... Lauri draws a ton of interest around the league, but right now, Utah wants to hold on to him and really try to make a run for the future to improve this team and start to win."
Utah Jazz want to build around Lauri Markkanen — not kick the can again
Perhaps Danny Ainge and the Jazz finally see the light at the end of the tunnel for the franchise. With Lauri back to producing at the level of a very clear star, the viewpoint of him being a building block is more than justified.
Markkanen is averaging a career-high 27.8 points per game, shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from beyond the arc in 2025-26. To go with that, the Jazz big man is also adding 7.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steal in 35.3 minutes per game.
The biggest trouble regarding the Markkanen-Utah situation is the age of the star. It may seems like the former Cav is still a young man, but Lauri is set to turn 29 years old in May of 2026. These are the prime years of his career beyond any doubt.
How long does it take the Jazz to surrounding him with the type of supporting cast necessary to do serious damage?
If this is still a multi-year project to return to genuine contention in Utah, Markkanen could easily start to age out on them before they are ready to be a real threat. That should be undesirable for both parties involved.