NBA Trade Idea Sends Utah Jazz Star Lauri Markkanen to Detroit Pistons
An NBA trade idea sending Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz to the Detroit Pistons has been created.
NBA writer Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report created the following trade idea between the Jazz and Pistons:
Detroit Pistons get: Lauri Markkanen
Utah Jazz get: Ron Holland, Tobias Harris, Marcus Sasser, 2026 first-round pick (unprotected), 2028 first-round pick (unprotected)
“Markkanen joins the Pistons as an upgrade at power forward over Harris, who serves as a salary-filler here who can be shopped by Utah to a contender at a later date,” Swartz wrote. “The Jazz also get a pair of prospects and unprotected first-round picks from the Pistons, who now have full control of all future first-round selections after conveying their 2025 first rounder to the Minnesota Timberwolves.”
Markkanen is one of the best players in the NBA. He averaged 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.4 blocks for the Jazz last season in 47 games while shooting 42.3% from the field, 34.6% from beyond the arc and 87.6% from the free-throw line.
Utah had the worst record in the NBA last season, while Detroit made the playoffs for the first time since 2019. The Pistons lost to the New York Knicks in the first round in six games. They would become a title contender with Markkanen in the fold next to Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson.
Markkanen, 28, will make $46.4 million next season. He has played for the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Jazz, compiling averages of 18.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks.
A one-time All-Star, Markkanen won the 2023 Most Improved Player of the Year Award with the Jazz, who drafted Ace Bailey with the fifth overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Utah is still in rebuild mode, which is why Markkanen would be better off playing for a contending team like the Pistons, who are in win-now mode.
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