Lauri Markkanen, Jazz Want to Stay Together

Lauri Markkanen is officially eligible to be traded for the first time since last August when he agreed to a massive renegotiation and extension of his contract that will now pay the 2023 All-Star $196 million over the next four years .

The 27-year-old seems like an ideal trade candidate given that the Utah Jazz had the worst record in the NBA this season (17-65) and seem destined to miss the playoffs at least one more year.

For now, both Markkanen and the Jazz are saying that a trade isn't what anyone wants.

“I feel like what I did last summer with signing here, that kind of tells you the confidence I have in the organization and the guys we have. I love being in Utah. We’ll see what happens in summer, there’s things that you can’t control, but I love being here and working out with the guys that we have and building this thing," Markkanen told Sarah Todd of the Deseret News.

Utah's front office has hedged slightly as well, but put out a similar message.

“We’ll see when opportunities come up to add to the roster, but I see Lauri as a central part of what we’re doing, that’s why we signed him,” Jazz general manager Justin Zanik said via Todd. “We think he can be a huge piece for us as we join the competitive rings.”

Unfortunately, Utah plays in the Western Conference so these "competitive rings" that Zanik talks about could be years away.

In the 47 games that Markkanen played this season, the Jazz only went 9-38 overall and have a roster full of young, mostly unproven players. Utah has the draft picks to trade for some veteran talent, although that would go against what the franchise has been building.

Coming off a down season by his standards (19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 34.6 percent from three), Markkanen probably should stay with the Jazz unless a big summer offer comes around. Selling low now wouldn't make sense for Utah if Markkanen is indeed content.