Lauri Markkanen The final game of the NBA season in San Francisco became a tourist trip because of a shoulder injury. Markkanes missed the Utah Jazz’s last nine games.
The shoulder was photographed a couple of weeks ago, when Markkanen had experienced pain for a long time in many different movements. According to Suomalaistahte, the pictures showed that it was not wise for him to play with the pain for the rest of the season.
Is the injury serious?
– I don’t really understand those Latin words. Yes, it has bothered me longer. You can say that it causes quite a lot of pain in certain movements. Can play with certain injuries. With this, you can still train a bit, but there are fewer real games now, Markkanen told Urheilu at the end of the season.
All in all, Markkanen played only 55 matches this season. It is the Finnish star’s weakest reading since the last Chicago Bulls season 2020–2021.
Utah’s season was quite a rollercoaster. At its best, the Jazz were the hottest team in the league and fought for a place in the playoffs, but also settled down over the course of the season. The biggest twist came in February, when Utah decided to give up again and traded away three of its core players. Markskas was hardly seen on the field after the star break.
Utah’s final ranking was 12th in the Western Conference, i.e. exactly the same as what the American media predicted before the start of the season.
– Of course, a little bad feelings when you’re not in the playoffs. The season ends a little early. It feels like we learned a lot about ourselves as a team and what we need to do in order to get to the next level. It’s still disappointing when the season ends like this, says Markkanen.
Last season was the best of Markkanen’s NBA career. In the season that ended, the average score was two points lower. On the other hand, Markkanen was the statistical service of Synergy by The second most effective point guard in the NBA.
Markkanen feels that he has learned over the course of the season what to do against a hardened defense in different situations. In that sense, this season’s scoring and rebounding averages sounded like a successful performance to his ears.
– Easy baskets were not so easy this season. Had to do quite a lot of work. The physical level was tough every night. Came up against different forms of defense all the time. In that way, there was more work than last season, Markkanen describes.
Markkanen will continue to be a significant part of Utah
So what is the Utah Jazz’s future plan and how does Markkanen fit into it?
For Markkanen, being out of the playoffs also means a sad chapter in the history books. He is becoming the player with the most NBA regular season games without the playoffs among the current players, if the Philadelphia 76ers and point guard Buddy Hield reach the playoff qualifiers.
Utah Jazz GM Justin Zanik told the Salt Lake Tribune last week that Markkanen is a hugely important part of Utah now and in the future. Zanik doesn’t want to miss any of Markkanen’s peak years, but on the other hand, he’s in no hurry either.
– We’re not trying to say that “hey Lauri, we’ll make you happy because you’ve never made it to the playoffs and we’ll burn all our reserve shifts and improve marginally with the help of some overpaid player and maybe we’ll be seventh”, Zanik said.
According to Zanik, Utah’s goal is to reach the playoffs and develop from there. According to the GM’s vision, it can be achieved by supplementing the team with players who fit the still developing Markkanen, 26, and the center by Walker Kessler22, around.
– We would like it if they (new players) were as good or better than Lauri. They can also be a couple of really good role players, says Zanik.
Zanik points out that Utah’s plan is to get better and they are thinking of all the ways to do that.
According to North American media estimates, this summer’s booking event would still not be of much help. You may not find new superstars among those booked this summer, but the situation will be better in a year’s time.
According to the media, there aren’t too many stars and role players who want to go to Utah or who are suitable for them, even on the free agent market.
According to Zanik, the main ways to build a team are generally the development of own players and player trades.
The Jazz is still in a good situation in terms of player trades, as it has collected a lot of reserve shifts in its clearance sales. Thirteen guaranteed first-round draft picks for the next three years are good merchandise.
What about the much-talked about “refueling”, can Utah continue to weaken the team even more in the hope of the best reserve innings?
– I think it’s really difficult to aim for the bottom with what we have now. I would also rather keep what we have now than give it up, says Zanik.
A historic deal for Markkanes?
With Zanik, he is responsible for Utah’s future solutions Danny Ainge. He is remembered as the architect of the 2008 Boston Celtics championship team.
Ainge became known for hard player trades that gave Boston a huge advantage over others. Ainge was also in the background when Boston got the key players of the current champion candidate Jaylen Brown’s and Jayson Tatum’s.
– I trust and believe in the people in this organization. That makes me feel good. It motivates me. I try to fast-forward the process by always being better myself, Markkanen described his thoughts on the future direction of the Utah Jazz to Urheilu.
Markkanen’s own situation is also interesting. For two seasons, he has been one of the most underpaid players in the NBA, compared to his level, with his annual earnings of 16–17 million euros. The current contract would still be left for next season.
At the end of the summer, however, Markkanen can make perhaps the most valuable contract in Finnish sports history with Utah. In North America, for the value of Markkanen’s four-year contract let’s talk around 200 million euros.
How likely does Markkanen think it is that an agreement will be signed in the next few months?
– I do not know. I haven’t really looked at the numbers, which is possible. Fortunately, I have good people on my side. I also have great faith in the organization. There are certainly good conversations. Of course I hope things will work out. My focus right now is on developing myself and, first of all, getting fully healthy. What will happen then remains to be seen, Markkanen answers.