The Utah Jazz are at a crossroads and must decide what they will do with all their talent and draft assets.
At the center of it all is Lauri Markkanen, the gifted big man who has been on the radar of multiple teams, including the Golden State Warriors.
According to Tony Jones and Tim Kawakami, per NBACentral, Markkanen has made a decision about this immediate future.
According to those sources, he is unlikely to sign an extension with the Jazz this week.
That doesn’t mean he is leaving the Jazz but it does mean he is looking to earn more money for his abilities.
Lauri Markkanen is unlikely to sign an extension with the Jazz tomorrow, per @Tjonesonthenba & @timkawakami
“According to The Athletic’s Tony Jones, it’s unlikely that Markkanen will sign the new deal by Tuesday. Which makes sense. The 27-year-old Markkanen knows he’s going to… pic.twitter.com/qQunJTzvVI
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 5, 2024
Whether he signs a deal with the Jazz soon or moves to another team, Markkanen now stands a chance to get a much bigger payday.
Last season, the 27-year-old averaged 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
He’s clearly one of the best young big stars in the league but there are also some concerns about him.
For example, he only played in 55 games last season because of injuries that held him back.
He will now be entitled to a better contract but may have trouble getting it because of the injuries.
The Warriors have been keen on signing Markkanen but the Jazz will only play ball with a team that is willing to put up a lot in return for him.
Therefore, no deal has been developed and agreed upon, at least not yet.
With this news of Markkanen not signing an extension, even more speculation will swirl around him for the days, weeks, and months ahead.
He is making moves that show he knows he’s special.
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