Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen becomes eligible Tuesday to have his contract renegotiated and then extended. Markkanen would become the 13th NBA player since 2010 to have his current salary restructured and extended. The decision to reach a new contract could have a ripple effect throughout the league.
Markkanen is not only viewed as one of the top free agents in 2025 but also a trade target by many teams. Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks teamed up to break down the biggest questions facing Markkanen and the Jazz. What is his current contractual status? Markkanen is in the final year of a four-year, $67.
5 million contract that was signed in 2021. Editor's Picks NBA free agency 2024: Latest signings, news, buzz and reports 5d ESPN The dominoes from Jalen Brunson's stunning extension: Could Julius Randle take less money next? 3d Bobby Marks and Tim Bontemps NBA offseason survey: Best deals, worst moves and buzz over PG and DeMar 7d Tim Bontemps The contract was part of a three-team deal in which Markkanen was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers , Derrick Jones Jr . was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers and the Chicago Bulls received a top-14-protected first-round pick from Portland and a 2023 Denver Nuggets second-round pick (via Cleveland).
Markkanen was then sent to Utah in 2022 as part of the Donovan Mitchell trade. Team executives polled by ESPN consider Markkanen's $18 million salary this season as the best value of any player named an All-Star in the past two seasons and .