The Western Conference is full of powerhouse teams, but the Utah Jazz aren’t one of them. Having lost 6 more games this season than in 2022-2023, the Jazz seem perennially stuck in the middle. However, every cloud has a silver lining, and for the Jazz, that lining came in the form of Lauri Markkanen.
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But soon after the season ended, rumors of the Finnish All-Star forward started circulating the league. With reports claiming the Warriors were interested in acquiring him, Jazz fans thought their last hope at being a contender was slipping away.
Luckily, the seven-footer has no plans of going anywhere as he puts all the ‘Unhappy in Utah’ rumors to rest.
Enjoying Utah 😎🎣 pic.twitter.com/Z1nN72iRZ1
— Lauri Markkanen (@MarkkanenLauri) August 25, 2024
Markkanen uploaded a picture of himself holding a fish at Provo Canyon. He even captioned the image, “Enjoying Utah,” which is a reassuring message of his feelings about the city, putting Jazz fans at ease. In fact, Markkanen has stated several times in interviews that he is quite ecstatic about staying in Salt Lake City and playing for the Jazz.
The Finn finished the season averaging 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, leading the Jazz in points scored. He also displayed extravagant percentages from the field and the three-point arc.
Listed at seven feet, Markkanen can handle himself in the paint. But what makes his services even more alluring is his ability to stretch the floor with efficiency. He averaged 48.0% from the field, 39.9% from three, and 89.9% from the free throw line.
Given that the Jazz aren’t making moves in any direction, many believed that Markkanen would’ve grown unhappy with the franchise. Utah doesn’t seem to be adding more talent to pursue a championship. But at the same time, the organization doesn’t seem to be tanking either to go into rebuilding mode, hence the trade rumors.
After the Warriors lost Klay Thompson this past offseason, the team has been looking to revamp its roster by adding more talent.
The Warriors were able to get Buddy Hield to fill the void Thompson left. And Markkanen was seen as the stretch forward that would help their star point guard, Stephen Curry, on the offensive end of the floor.
However, after Lauri’s latest picture smiling from ear to ear on his socials, the rumors have quickly died down. And though the Jazz aren’t making any moves, Markkanen seems content with where he is for the foreseeable future.
