Kings Remain Aggressive in Lauri Markkanen Trade Talks With Jazz

The Sacramento Kings aren't going down quietly in their pursuit of the Jazz's All-Star forward.

Mar 21, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

As we inch through the 2024 NBA offseason, the rumors continue to buzz surrounding the Utah Jazz and their plans with Lauri Markkanen.

It's no secret that there is an abundance of interest around the league for the Jazz's All-Star forward. Numerous reports have surfaced in recent weeks with teams looking to acquire his services in a blockbuster trade, albeit for a lofty price.

And while we haven't seen any deal come to fruition yet as the Jazz continue to hold their cards, don't expect for teams to ease up in their pursuit of 2023's Most Improved Player.

According to Evan Sidery of Forbes Sports, the Sacramento Kings are among the teams who have stayed diligent in their hunt to bring in Markkanen, as they've yet to waiver in their aspirations to acquire him despite the addition of DeMar DeRozan:

"The Kings remain active in trade talks looking for one more impact player to put them over the top, per James Ham. Lauri Markkanen and Kyle Kuzma are Sacramento’s top targets in hopes to pair alongside DeMar DeRozan for a transformative offseason."

- Evan Sidery, Forbes Sports

The Kings have been a frequent flyer in the Markkanen rumors as they've been searching for another impact piece to pair next to franchise cornerstones De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. This is a team that came up just short of making the playoffs last season, and they're making a strong push to not suffer that same fate this coming year.

Earlier reports have indicated that the Kings have submitted a "substantial" offer to the Jazz for Markkanen, yet it hasn't met the asking price Danny Ainge is aspiring for. There's still some time ahead for Sacramento to collect a package strong enough for Utah to pull the trigger, but it remains unclear if that's truly attainable for the Kings.

Utah doesn't want to trade Markkanen, so any deal that involves him has to turn out to be an offer that's so good it's unable to be turned down. The goal for the Jazz has remained steady in hammering out a long-term contract re-negotiation and extension agreement, but the window for that to occur doesn't arrive until early August.

Until then, teams will continue throwing in their bids in hopes of landing Markkanen, with the Kings being one of the first in line to do so.

Expect talks to continue to surround the Jazz and Markkanen until the chance for contract negotiations officially open on August 6th.

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