The Utah Jazz are off to a rough enough start that almost anything can get dragged into the conversation. After seven games, they’re 1-6, tied for last in the Western Conference, and sitting near the bottom of the league in both offensive and defensive rating.
The numbers don’t stop there, either. Utah is also near the bottom third of the NBA in field goal percentage, three-point percentage, assists, steals, and turnovers.
That kind of opening stretch naturally invites big-picture questions, including one that keeps popping up around the franchise: should the Jazz consider moving Lauri Markkanen?
It’s not a wild thought on the surface. A trade could change the look of the offense, open up cap space, and bring back value for one of the best players this roster has had over the last decade. Markkanen has lived in trade chatter for much of his time in Utah, so the idea is hardly new.
Still, this is not the moment to force it.
The main reason is simple: Markkanen’s uneven start is not the real source of Utah’s problems. He hasn’t been sharp, and there’s no way around that. Through six games, he’s averaging 16.5 points on 38.5% shooting from the field and 34.3% from three, along with 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per night.
But the Jazz have seen this movie before. Even when Markkanen goes through rough patches, his offensive range, his work away from the ball, and his years of experience have usually helped him find his footing again. He brings a rare mix of size, shot-making, creation both on and off the ball, and enough finishing and defensive value to make lineups better when he’s out there.
That’s why moving him now would be such a dangerous shortcut. If Utah is going to dig out of this early hole, Markkanen needs to be part of the fix, not the piece they remove.
There’s also the market reality. If the Jazz tried to deal him now, they likely wouldn’t get much back.
His current play hasn’t boosted his value, and the contract doesn’t help. Teams are not going to line up to pay a premium for a player in that spot, even with his All-Star résumé.
That’s what makes a Markkanen deal feel like a panic sell. Utah would be selling low on a player who has already shown he can be far more than what he’s looked like in the first week of the season. And if the return doesn’t meaningfully improve the team, the move doesn’t solve much anyway.
The better path is to stay patient with the young core, get back to full strength in the frontcourt with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic, and keep leaning on internal development. For now, trading Lauri Markkanen is not the answer.
In Other News...
Jazz Hit With An Early Reality Check They Didnt Expect
The early weeks have not gone the way the Jazz imagined, and the latest setback only deepened the concern around a team trying to find its footing. Utah fell to the Spurs and opened the season with a 1-6 record, a start that sits near the bottom of the franchises history. Injuries to key players have made the climb steeper, while the on-court execution has been uneven enough to leave the Jazz searching for answers on both ends.
Still, there is no panic coming from inside the locker room. Coach Will Hardy and several players have acknowledged how difficult the opening stretch has been, but they are still pointing to the long season ahead as reason for optimism. The challenge now is turning that belief into cleaner, more consistent basketball before the hole gets any deeper. [Read more 🡒]