Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz should be acquired by the Oklahoma City Thunder this offseason, according to one NBA analyst. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes put out the following “blockbuster” trade proposal involving the Thunder and Jazz: The Trade: Josh Giddey, Cason Wallace, and three future first-round picks are exchanged for Lauri Markkanen by the Oklahoma City Thunder from the Utah Jazz. The Thunder traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and several draft picks during their most recent major transaction.
Markkanen, in Hughes’ opinion, would make OKC’s offence “terrifying.” “Markkanen would add a terrifying dimension to a five-out offense—all while adding significant size to a squad that got beat up on the boards—dramatically upgrading Giddey’s spot in the first unit,” Hughes wrote. “As it stands, OKC has experienced roster shortages in the previous few seasons, so cutting some of its picks may be inevitable. It can’t continue bringing on two or three rookies each year, giving them time to mature, and then prolonging their stay. Under that “conservative” scenario, all of the financial concerns that everyone is concerned about would also surface.
One of the top players in the NBA is Markkanen. He shot 48.0% from the field, 39.9% from beyond the arc, and 89.9% from the free-throw line this season while averaging 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks for the Jazz. The one-time All-Star will earn $18 million in his contract’s last season next season. With the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Utah Jazz, he has averaged 18.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks throughout his career. The Jazz missed the playoffs for the second straight year, and the Thunder fell to the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the second round of the 2024 playoffs. Should this fictitious deal go place, the Thunder would have a lethal “Big 4” of Gilgeous-Alexander, Markkanen, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.