If the Portland Trail Blazers are in the market to add a star this offseason to help them get back into playoff contention, Lauri Markkanen would be a great buy-low trade target for them to pursue.
After making his first All-Star appearance in 2013, the Utah Jazz big man had a down year by his standards, averaging 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on inefficient 42/35/88 shooting splits.
Utah and Portland are two rebuilding teams trending in opposite directions. The Blazers finished 2023-24 at the bottom of the West but turned things around this season, even putting themselves in the play-in conversation. The Jazz then took their place as the West's worst team, finishing with a league-worst 17 wins.
Lauri Markkanen could be the Blazers' path back to the playoffs
Utah should strongly consider moving their best player and commit to a full-on rebuild with their young nucleus and incoming draft selection, which is guaranteed to land in the top five.
This isn't to say that the Blazers' rebuild has been more successful, just on a different trajectory. It's possible they have a limited ceiling if they can't find that missing star.
Markkanen would help Portland escape purgatory and get into playoff contention with his talent and fit. The Blazers have one of the tallest rosters in the NBA, and adding another seven-footer into the starting lineup would only make them more of a matchup nightmare. But he's also a career 37.1 percent shooter, helping address their most glaring weakness.
Markkanen would serve as a younger, better version of Jerami Grant. He would be a seamless addition, which is an underrated trait for an All-Star, given how often entire offenses have to revolve around their ball-dominant tendencies.
Although Markkanen isn't the 1a superstar Portland needs for a championship run, he's an ideal second or third option and versatile enough to complement any star they bring in or develop internally.
It would also be much more realistic for them to find that 1a piece, given the assets likely required to land someone like Markkanen. He's coming off a down year, doesn't fit the timeline of a rebuilding team, and is owed roughly $195 million over the next four seasons.
In terms of a trade, Deandre Ayton's expiring $34 million contract is a simple one-for-one salary match, allowing Portland to center the deal around draft capital -- something GM Joe Cronin has shown he's willing to do when the fit is right, as was the case with the Deni Avdija deal.
Perhaps Utah could even be intrigued by a package centered around Anfernee Simons and slightly less draft capital. Similar to Portland, Utah has a lot of up-and-coming talent in the backcourt, but they are relatively unproven.
If the Jazz are open to moving on from Markkanen, Cronin should be on the other end of the phone. Landing a proven All-Star talent would accelerate Portland's rebuild at the perfect time for a team ready to get back to playoff relevancy.