The Utah Jazz are sitting at 6-13, and with seven losses in their last 10 games, the buzz around Salt Lake City isn’t just about the snow on the Wasatch Front - it’s about what this team might do before the NBA trade deadline. When a team struggles out of the gate like this, the assumption is often that no one is truly off-limits. But when it comes to Lauri Markkanen, the Jazz may be thinking differently.
Despite the rough start, Markkanen has emerged as more than just a bright spot - he’s looking like the cornerstone Utah might want to build around. According to multiple league insiders, the Jazz aren’t leaning toward a teardown. In fact, the word around the league is that Utah wants to get back to competing in the West, not sink further into the lottery.
That mindset marks a shift from the post-Gobert and Mitchell era. After those blockbuster moves a few years ago, the Jazz signaled a reset. But now, with Markkanen putting together a career year, there’s a growing sense that Utah could be buyers - not sellers - come trade season.
Front office dynamics can be tough to read, especially with both Austin Ainge and Danny Ainge pulling the strings. But the consensus from executives around the league is that Utah is more likely to add talent around Markkanen than entertain offers for him.
And it’s not hard to see why.
Markkanen is averaging a career-high 28.5 points per game in his ninth NBA season. That’s not just a statistical leap - it’s the kind of production that demands attention, especially when paired with his standout summer playing for Finland’s national team. The 7-footer has always had the skill set, but now he’s putting it all together - scoring at all three levels, rebounding, and showing leadership on a team that’s still figuring out its identity.
He’s also made it clear: he loves it in Utah. Despite never playing a single minute of postseason basketball, Markkanen seems fully bought in to what the Jazz are trying to build. That kind of buy-in matters - especially for a franchise looking to re-establish itself in a brutally competitive Western Conference.
One performance that stands out? His 51-point explosion in an overtime win against the Suns back in October.
It was the kind of game that turns heads - not just because of the scoring, but because of how he did it: confidently, efficiently, and in a high-pressure moment. That’s what franchise players do.
So while trade rumors will keep swirling - that’s just the nature of the NBA - don’t be surprised if the Jazz are more focused on building around Markkanen than moving him. At 28, he’s in his prime, producing like an All-Star, and giving Utah a reason to believe there's a path back to relevance - not next year, but now.