The Utah Jazz are in the middle of a rebuild. Since trading away their core of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, they haven’t had much organizational hope. Then they were in prime position to land a top lottery pick in this year’s draft, but the lottery balls only granted them the 5th pick. Another complication is that the Jazz currently roster Lauri Markkanen, a player probably too good for a rebuilding team but not good enough to build a franchise around. So, it’s no wonder Jazz trade rumors are starting to swirl.
One Jazz trade that many are hoping to see this summer is the team finally letting go of Markkanen. Markkanen is still young and could demand a nice return, giving the Jazz another shot at landing a franchise building block.
A possible trade route for the Jazz was addressed in ESPN’s 2025 NBA mock draft. Jonathan Givony reported that with the 3rd pick in the draft, the Philadelphia 76ers could package it along with a struggling star and likely future Hall-of-Famer to land Markkanen.
"Some teams expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations, with names such as Kevin Durant (Phoenix) and Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz) as potential targets in packages that could include Paul George and the No. 3 pick." ESPN's Givony and Jeremy Woo wrote Monday.
This has to be an intriguing option for both the Sixers and the Jazz. For one, the Jazz can land another top-five pick in a loaded draft. They’d also pick up an accomplished veteran to help lead their young squad.
The Sixers would also benefit greatly from this trade. Markkanen is a younger, healthier option at the forward position and gives the Sixers a potential star to pair with Tyrese Maxey if Joel Embiid continues to struggle with his health.
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Don’t be surprised if you see both the Sixers’ 3rd pick or the Jazz’s Markkanen on the move this summer.
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