Jazz sign ex-Wildcat Lauri Markkanen to contract extension

Arizona Wildcat product Lauri Markkanen signed a contract extension on Wednesday to remain with the Utah Jazz.

It is a five-year, $238 million extension, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Markkanen had one year left in his current contract with the Jazz and was due $18 million this upcoming season.

In two seasons with the Jazz, Markkanen has seen his career flourish. During his first five years in the league, he averaged 15.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 282 games.

With the Jazz, Markkanen has averaged 24.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 121 games. He was named an NBA All-Star in 2023 and won the 2023 NBA’s Most Improved Player Award.

Markkanen spent one season with the Cleveland Cavaliers before being traded to Utah, along with guards Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji and five future draft picks (two pick swaps), in exchange for guard Donovan Mitchell.

Before his one-year stint with Cleveland, Markkanen spent four seasons with the Chicago Bulls after the franchise selected him with the No. 7 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Markkanen played one season (2016-17) at Arizona. He helped lead the Wildcats to a 32-5 record where they would eventually lose to Xavier in the Sweet 16.

In that span, he started all 37 games played, averaging 15.6 points on 49.2% shooting to go with 7.2 rebounds, earning him a spot on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team and First Team All-Conference honors.

How the Markkanen extension affects the west

The Jazz were reportedly in trade talks involving Markkanen going to to the Golden State Warriors, but both sides were unable to come to an agreement.

While Markkanen has elevated his play, his team has struggled in a deep Western Conference. The Jazz have a combined 68-96 record over the last two seasons since Markkanen was acquired.

Now that he is locked up in Utah for the foreseeable future, Markkanen could be a franchise centerpiece for the Jazz to continue to build around.