While it seemed for a long time that Lauri Markkanen would get traded this offseason, that is definitely no longer the case. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Markkanen will sign a massive five-year, $238 million extension with the Jazz.
Markkanen was considered to be somewhat of a bust earlier in his career. Taken seventh-overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, Markkanen never really flourished in his time with the Bulls. However, things changed drastically when the sharp-shooting big man arrived in Utah. Markkanen was an All-Star in 2022-23, averaging 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He also shot 39.1% from three-point range and took home Most Improved Player honors at season’s end. Injuries impacted Markkanen’s effectiveness in 2023-24, yet the 27-year-old still posted 23.2 points per contest for the Jazz.
Even with Markkanen locked into a roster spot, expectations are low for Utah in 2024-25. On the DraftKings Sportsbook, the Jazz have +100000 odds to win the NBA title and are +1800 to even make the playoffs. The team is obviously in the midst of a rebuild.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
