The Utah Jazz aren’t one of the dominant teams in the Western Conference. With six fewer games lost this season than they will in 2022-23, the Jazz seem to be stuck in the middle forever. But there’s always a silver lining; for the Jazz, that silver lining was Lauri Markkanen.
However, it didn’t take long for the league to hear rumors about the Finnish All-Star forward after the season ended. Jazz fans thought their last chance at a title shot was gone when rumors surfaced that the Warriors were considering acquiring him. Fortunately, the 7-foot-4 forward has dispelled rumors that he’s “unhappy in Utah” and has no plans to leave.
Markkanen shared a photo of himself in Provo Canyon holding a fish. To calm Jazz fans, he captioned the photo with “Enjoying Utah,” a heartwarming statement about his feelings about the area. Markkanen has expressed in numerous interviews that he is excited to play for the Jazz and stay in Salt Lake City.
Leading the Jazz in scoring at the end of the season, the Finn averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He also posted good three-point and field goal percentages.
Markkanen is 7’4″ and knows his way around the paint. But his ability to stretch the floor effectively adds even more appeal to his serve. He shot 39.9 percent from three-point range, 89.9 percent from the free throw line and 48.0 percent from the field on average.
Many thought that Markkanen would be unhappy with the Jazz because they weren’t moving in a certain direction. It doesn’t seem like Utah is adding players to try to win a championship. However, the team doesn’t seem to be falling apart, so trade rumors are circulating. The Warriors have been trying to improve their roster by adding more talent since Klay Thompson left the team last offseason.
The Warriors brought in Buddy Hield to replace Thompson. Additionally, Markkanen was considered the right winger who would assist their star guard, Stephen Curry, in the transition. However, the rumors quickly faded after the latest photo of Lauri, which showed him smiling widely on social media. Additionally, Markkanen seems happy where he is now, even if the Jazz don’t move.
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