Lauri Markkanen trade proposal rids Spurs of controversial players

The latest trade idea is fresh off the presses, and it will surely be as controversial as every other proposal Spurs Nation sees. Everyone agrees that this roster needs to be upgraded, but nobody can come to a consensus on the path to do so. Jared Koch of Sports Illustrated has an idea that will cost San Antonio less draft capital than most of the other suggestions we’ve seen, but that means more players are involved.

Spurs receive: Lauri Markkanen
Jazz receive: Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Spurs’ 2025 first-round pick (14)

This deal doesn’t require Brian Wright to give up Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, or the number two pick that’s inevitably going to morph into Dylan Harper. That’s an obvious win. But it hurts the team’s defense by removing Sochan and Barnes, and it hurts the team’s depth. The Pacers and Thunder are showing just how important fielding a deep roster is, so not everyone will be quick to pull the trigger on a deal like this.

Is Markkanen worth three rotational pieces?

Yes and no. Markkanen would be joining his fourth team if he were to be traded. The Finnish big man was drafted by Chicago and hiccuped in Cleveland for a season before making his way to Utah. He won the Most Improved Player award with the Jazz, and that’s when his press clippings really ratcheted up.

Helsinki Academy’s finest went from 14 points per game to 25 in one season. It was quite the jump, and put him on the NBA map. However, his points averaged dropped to 23 the following year and 19 this past season. So, was the 25-point year a blip or something organizations can rely on him making his way back to? The answer has more to do with his health than anything.

Lauri has missed 78 games over his last three seasons. He’s been in the league for eight years, and he’s only eclipsed 65 games played twice. The most recent ailment was a lingering lower back issue that forced him to miss more than 30 games this year. The Jazz were likely also tanking, but the injuries to their star were real, and those problems have followed him from the beginning of his career.

So, if you’re going to tell me that Markkanen will remain healthy enough to put together a real season where he plays 70 games—something he’s never done—and can recapture the trajectory he was on when he received his only All-Star selection, then I’d say he’s worth it.

I’m skeptical that’s the case, and if he can’t be trusted to be on the floor, there’s no way this deal could be looked at as a win for the Spurs, even if the players being shipped out cause arguments at the dinner table.