As the Golden State Warriors sought out another star prior to their acquisition of Jimmy Butler, a name that was floated for multiple seasons was that of Lauri Markkanen: the towering forward for the Utah Jazz.
Now, after a down year that had many doubting if he would be able to live up to the value of his contract, his strong start to EuroBasket play with his native Finland could set the stage for a powerful rebound next season, resurrecting his trade value and re-igniting the possibility of the Warriors making a shocking move.
Markkanen, 28, has been one of the league's most valuable trade targets since his arrival in Utah, and, now, if he is able to string together some strong performances, he could certainly be on the move yet again.