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Christopher Boan is the lead writer at BetArizona.com after covering sports and sports betting in Arizona for more than seven years, including stops at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.
Lauri Markkanen Trade Rumors: Odds of Former Wildcats’ Next NBA Team
Former Arizona Wildcats star forward Lauri Markkanen has found his footing in the NBA since arriving in Salt Lake City in 2022, winning the league’s Most Improved Player honor in 2023 and averaging 23.2 points per game last season. The 2018 All-Rookie Team member out of Finland is a true unicorn in today’s NBA, hitting 40% from three and adding near-rim talent you’d expect from a 7-foot forward.
The 27-year-old arrived in Utah as part of the deal that sent Donovan Mitchell from Utah to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who Markkanen played for during the 2021-22 league year.
With Markkanen slated to earn a cap hit of $18.004 million in the final year of the four-year, $67.4 million deal he signed with the Chicago Bulls back in 2021, it was worth wondering which NBA team may make a move for the Finnish forward.
With that in mind, BetArizona.com broke down some hypothetical odds on which NBA team might land Markkanen this offseason, before he inked a five-year, $238 million contract renegotiation and extension with the Jazz on Aug. 7.
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Lauri Markkanen Trade Rumors
Team | Percentage Chance | Odds |
Golden State Warriors | 10.0% | +900 |
San Antonio Spurs | 7.4% | +1250 |
Houston Rockets | 6.3% | +1500 |
Oklahoma City Thunder | 6.3% | +1500 |
Los Angeles Lakers | 4.8% | +2000 |
Sacramento Kings | 4.8% | +2000 |
The Field / Stay With Jazz | 60.0% | -150 |
Odds not available on Arizona betting apps and provided before Markkanen signed his extension.
Warriors Among Favorites To Land Markkanen
It looked like fellow Wildcat Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors were on the inside track to land Markkanen via a trade, with several controllable assets that could have intrigued the Jazz, while needing a player of Markkanen’s talents in the frontcourt.
That’s why we listed the Warriors at +900 to get their hands on Markkanen, with Golden State ranking ahead of the Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio Spurs (+1250) and the Western Conference duo of the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder at +1500 apiece.
Longshots to land Markkanen included the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings at +2000 apiece, while the field (or the Jazz themselves) came in at -150 as the NBA offseason heats up.
While Wildcats fans would likely have opted for Markkanen to return to the Grand Canyon State and suit up for the Phoenix Suns, they’ll have to settle for him playing for another NBA Finals contender in 2024-25.
Stick with BetArizona for all updates across Arizona sports betting.
USA Today photo by Rob Gray.
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