NBA: An expert’s harsh assessment of Lauri Markkanen’s situation

No get around it: Lauri Markkanella there were 238 million reasons to say “yes” to the Utah Jazz’s contract extension offer in the summer.

And there’s no getting around this either: Markkas won’t be seen in the NBA playoffs next spring either.

Pending it is already the eighth year in a row that Jyväskylä’s basketball team has to watch the season’s most important games from the platform of its cabin sauna.

The current Utah Jazz team would need to change significantly to become a realistic playoff team.

What causes this?

NBA expert, commentator and basketball coach Christian Palotie sums up the situation straightforwardly. The Utah Jazz are not built to win games.

The law of the NBA has long been that it is best for a team to be either at the top or at the very bottom, but not in the middle ground.

To a European sports fan, such an assessment may sound like an exaggeration. But it’s true.

“The Western Conference is really tough this year, and the organization would be a fool to chase a playoff spot. The booking event is becoming a very tough one, and next summer Utah could pick up a young corner stone from there,” says Palotie.

In particular Cooper Flagger a superstar is expected, but other tough players are also coming.

The Jazz have previously traded their number one pick for the coming summer conditionally. If the shift falls outside of the top ten, it goes to Oklahoma City.

This is also why Utah should aim for the basement. It should keep its precious reservation.

Palotie believes that the team is purposely built in such a way that the coach Will Hardyn it is difficult to “ruin” a booking yacht.

”

Without big changes, this will be the eighth season without playoffs, and nothing else is worth trying.

The respected coach gets to focus on developing the team’s young players.

“This team is in such a condition that it will lose more than it wins. And from the point of view of the club management, it’s good that the team is basically not as tough as it was a year or two ago. It could win “too many” matches”, Palotie explains the NBA’s operating logic.

CEO of Jazz Danny Ainge has sold its top players and invested in younger players.

However, Markkanen, acquired from Cleveland, turned out to be so outstanding that he was wanted to be considered the cornerstone of a new rise. But that rise will happen only after 2-4 years.

It’s entirely possible that Utah’s experienced players, for example Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton find new addresses during the season like many before them.

“Utah already has a huge number of booking slots acquired from previous deals. They have everything they need to make big deals when the team is ready. The situation right now is that the club wants that young corner stone alongside Markkanen through the draft. Therefore, we can expect a very difficult season in terms of results”, Palotie opens the situation.

In other words, it’s going to be a cold season for Markkanen, once again.

“Without big changes, this will be the eighth season without the playoffs, and it’s not worth trying anything else,” says Palotie.

Markkanen reiterated after the signing that he and his family are having a great time in Salt Lake City.

Jazz’s organization is ambitious and the city is peaceful.

But is Markkanen in the right place at the wrong time?

Although the Finnish star is enjoying himself in Utah, he is also extremely ambitious. That’s why committing to a weak team seemed like an odd move.

Last summer, Markkanen was in an optimal position to influence his future.

When there was only one year left on the old contract, Markkanen could have acted like, for example, a superstar Anthony Davis before him and force the organization to trade him to their liking or threaten to leave next summer in free agency.

Markkanen chose to stay. At the same time, he chose to commit to a project that does not have a clear goal other than “hopefully we will succeed in the draft”.

“I don’t think that moving to another place is the only way to get ahead. He could, for example, be in the Golden State Warriors three years from now in a worse situation than he is now. Maltti was a good solution at this point, and he got a huge contract”, Palotie estimates.

Markkanen deliberately timed the signing of the contract so that he cannot be traded in the middle of the season. It underlined the commitment to the club.

”

It is often difficult for an athlete to realize that a career does not continue indefinitely. I personally believe that Lauri understands this situation.

All however, it may not be what it seems. There are other legalities in the NBA.

For players, one of them is “Secure the bag first, then the move”. In other words, secure the big money first, then transfer elsewhere.

Markkanen’s situation has only been calmed down until next summer. Then he is on the verge of big things.

What if Utah doesn’t get a new gem? Is Markkanen still going to remain a figurehead for the third NBA club of his career?

Palotie emphasizes that he does not speak for Markkanen, but sees the playing field as more open next year.

“I would think that the trade away in Cleveland shook Markkanen at the latest to realize that this is just business for the clubs and the players also have to think about their own interests.”

Markkanes does not have endless time to realize the dream of meeting the best players in the toughest games.

Palotie believes that Markkanes can have another 6-7 absolute top seasons, but the estimate may be optimistic.

The Finn has a long history of injuries, and even one bad injury can change the direction of a career irrevocably.

“It is often difficult for an athlete to realize that a career does not continue indefinitely. I personally believe that Lauri understands this situation.”

If next summer does not bring the much-needed new cornerstone, Jazz’s construction plans will already move far into the future.

Marka, but also Utah, might be interested in the foreclosure of the then 28-year-old Finnish value.

– Danny Ainge, as CEO, has also not been particularly loyal to players if a good deal has come up. So there is no guarantee that Utah will be as loyal to Lauri as Lauri is to them.

Until then, Markkanen can’t help but hope that Ainge pulls a rabbit out of the hat and finds players alongside him before next summer.

Read more: Lauri Markkanen and Tuomas Iisalo will meet immediately at the opening of the NBA season

Utah Jazz–Mephis Grizzlies on Thursday at 04:00 Finnish time. The Ruutu service shows the match live.