Lauri Markkanen spends the summer in Finland camping and training. At the same time, sports circles are considering whether the Finnish player will continue with the Utah Jazz.
Kamilla Rajander,
Antti-Jussi Sipilä
Will he continue playing in the NBA? Lauri Markkanen his career with the Utah Jazz? It is now being discussed fiercely in basketball circles, as his current contract with the team expires after the upcoming season.
At the beginning of July, rumors began to spread about Markkanen’s future. According to them, for example, the San Antonio Spurs, Golde State Warriors or Sacramento Kings would be interested in the Finn.
NBA reporter by Adrian Wojnarowski according to Utah would like to keep Markkanen in their ranks, but is ready to hear offers about this.
The annual earnings of Markkanen’s current contract are slightly more than 16 million euros. A significant salary increase is expected in future contract negotiations.
Urheilu met Markkanen at the end of June. The player, who is spending his summer vacation in Finland, did not want to estimate any kind of percentage reading on how likely an extension contract with the Utah Jazz is. It is possible to sign the extension contract in August at the earliest.
– I can’t negotiate yet. My job is to train and get better. Things tend to work themselves out. No stress that way. I am very able to relax and take one day at a time. Let’s see what happens, says Markkanen.
Markkanen has been the top player of his team in Utah. Last season, he averaged 23.2 points and averaged 8.2 rebounds.
The shoulder situation varies
The Finnish national basketball team is currently playing in Spain in the Olympic qualifying tournament. Markkanes missed the summer games due to shoulder rehabilitation. The tight shoulder syndrome already showed symptoms in the past NBA season, and Markkanen had to be on the sidelines for his club team’s games. At the beginning of June, he said that the shoulder should be fine by the autumn games.
At the moment, the situation of the shoulder varies daily.
– Sometimes it feels good and then it feels like you’re not necessarily taking the back pack, but like you’re pulling tight. Yes, this is it, he describes.
After arriving in Finland from the United States, Markkanen took a vacation and calmly recovered from the stress of the time difference before returning to training.
In addition to exercises, Markkanen’s summer in his home country includes, among other things, camping and enjoying the weather by swimming and sauna.
– In general, being with family is cool.
Welcome message for new bookings
In the past season, the team from Utah missed the playoffs for the second year in a row. The club’s basketball boss Danny Ainge spoke at the end of the season in April about “hunting for a big catch” thinking about player acquisitions for the coming season.
Markkanen said that he has no information about the progress of the situation.
– I try to focus on my own work, take a little time here and better go back. I do have faith in our management ladder, there are knowledgeable people there. If they need an opinion from me, I’ll be happy to give my feelings.
In June, in the NBA reserve round, Utah selected by Cody Williams with number 10 and By Kyle Filipowski with number 32.
Markkanen had not yet had time to get to know the playing style of his future teammates, but he exchanged the first messages with them right after the booking ceremony.
Markkanen himself still remembers the players who sent him the same message in 2017, when he was booked.
– It creates such a welcome feeling and an immediate relationship with a teammate. It felt good when I was booked. I want to take it further and get their phone number right away and start building a friendship. You’ll remember it then.