Lauri Markkanen is having a career season, sparking trade rumors that a rebuilding Utah Jazz team may be willing to sell high on its star. The Portland Trail Blazers stole Deni Avdija from the Washington Wizards in a similar scenario, and Markkanen would've been another ideal piece to add to this up-and-coming core. However, the Jazz are more likely to acquire talent than trade Markkanen (subscription), according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
"Difficult as it can be for rival teams to read the intentions of a front office that now houses Austin Ainge as well as Danny Ainge, more teams than not that we speak to are increasingly convinced that the Jazz are more likely to try to add to their Markkanen-led core this Trade Season rather than trade Markkanen away," Stein reports.