The goal for the Los Angeles Lakers remains to contend for an NBA title in 2025-26 behind their generational duo of 26-year-old Luka Dončić and 41-year-old LeBron James, but they’ll likely need a few reinforcements to boost their chances.
Los Angeles did have a productive offseason, as the storied franchise landed two solid role players in center Deandre Ayton and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year winner Marcus Smart. Even still, their general manager Rob Pelinka might look to tweak their top-end talent prior to the beginning of the new campaign.
According to a recent update, it’s possible that Pelinka and the Lakers’ top brass could make another drastic decision to acquire a young and reliable tertiary option.
“If the Lakers want to think beyond the LeBron window and make a play for the future while still competing in the present, Lauri Markkanen represents the most ambitious option,” ClutchPoints’ Rohan Brahmbhatt wrote Monday.
“The Jazz forward has blossomed into one of the league’s most efficient and versatile scorers, combining size, shooting, and floor-spacing at an All-Star level.”
“His ability to stretch defenses to the perimeter while still rebounding and attacking mismatches would make him an ideal fit next to Doncic, and eventually a bridge into a post-LeBron era.”
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Though his box score figures took a dip in 2024-25, the Utah Jazz’s 2023 Most Improved Player winner and 2023 All-Star Lauri Markkanen is on pace for a comeback year following his sensational performance in EuroBasket for Finland.
Markkanen averaged 23.1 points and 8.1 rebounds through 9 appearances for Finland, a stretch that included a 43-point explosion against Great Britain on Aug. 29.
As a member of the Jazz in 2022-23, Markkanen contributed a career-best 25.6 points along with 8.6 rebounds and a wonderful 39.1% three-point shooting clip on 7.7 attempts from distance.
The 28-year-old Finnish star would check a few boxes for the Lakers thanks to his 7-foot frame, extremely versatile two-way skill set and consistent outside shot-making.
Due to his gargantuan $46.4 million salary for the 2025-26 season, a hypothetical blockbuster trade between the Jazz and Lakers would likely see the expiring contracts of either Gabe Vincent or Maxi Kleber along with Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and former No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft Dalton Knecht heading to Utah.
If the Lakers could get a deal done for Markkanen, they could lock down status as title contenders year-in and year-out while boasting a core of Dončić, budding star Austin Reaves and the multi-faceted scoring big man.
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