Lauri Markkanen appears to be close to reaching a deal to stay in Utah long-term.
The Finnish forward is expected to reach a long-term contract extension with the Utah Jazz, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday.
Charania reports that the deal could be finalized as soon as Wednesday.
Details of the deal have not yet been reported but it is projected to be upwards of $200 million over five years.
What is known is that upon signing an extension, the 27-year-old will no longer be eligible to be traded during 2024-25 season. It’s a notion the Jazz appeared to be exploring throughout the off-season, reportedly engaging in trade talks with teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors.
However, with no team able to meet Utah’s asking price for the one-time All-Star, it appears the next plan of action will be locking him up for the foreseeable future.
Markkannen is coming off a second consecutive season averaging over 20 points — putting up 23.2 points to go with 8.2 rebounds on shooting splits of 48, 39 and 89 per cent from the field, distance and charity stripe.
