The Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks have reportedly discussed a deal involving Trae Young amid ongoing trade rumors surrounding Lauri Markkanen.
Jake Fisher Yahoo Sports reported the latest news on the Jazz.
“The Jazz would certainly welcome a call for Markkanen, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Perhaps Utah will ultimately force a similar offseason to Brooklyn, where the Nets once envisioned adding star-caliber talent with Mikal Bridges but decided the best course of action was to continue rebuilding with a big acquisition from New York. As previously reported by Yahoo Sports, the Jazz have been exploring a trade for Bridges and have had discussions with Atlanta about both Dejounte Murray and Trae Young, as well as putting together a group around Markkanen that could catch George's eye, sources said.”
Trade rumors surrounding Young have been floating around for a long time, but talk of a breakup between him and Dejounte Murray finally became a reality when the Hawks traded Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans, which presumably reduces the chances of Young leaving the team.
Markkanen, meanwhile, is set to become a free agent after next season and make $18 million.
So the Jazz are now faced with a decision regarding his future: agree to a long-term contract extension to keep him on the team or trade the 27-year-old to avoid losing him in free agency.
Fisher made it clear that the Jazz's top priority is re-signing Markkanen, but that hasn't stopped the trade rumors, even if Utah may just be waiting to see what they can get for a potential godfather offer like the one the New York Knicks offered the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Mikal Bridges.
“These Markkanen trade talks could just be the Jazz trying to gather input from interested teams, or they could be trying to extract an outrageous offer from the Knicks, such as five first-round draft picks plus additional unprotected picks in exchange for Bridges. The Jazz have previously told various NBA sources that they are open to renegotiating and working out an extension with Markkanen if both sides meet the terms of the deal in August, and listening to offers for Markkanen is just part of doing good business, the sources said.”
Of course, teams will be interested in Markkanen, who had a breakout season in 2022-23, earning his first All-Star Game appearance and winning the league's Most Valuable Player award.
Fisher said the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs “are currently being named as the leading contenders for Markkanen by those familiar with the situation,” with Minnesota also showing interest.
As for Young, trading him at this point would mean the team is open to a full rebuild and dismantling, but Murray's departure could quell rumors of Young's departure and allow Atlanta to move forward with a roster reset around him.
