Report: Timberwolves have 'shown interest' in Utah star Lauri Markkanen

Markkanen, 27, is due to make $18 million in 2024-25 before becoming a free agent.

Mar 25, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) looks to move the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the third quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Lauri Markannen in a Timberwolves uniform? Is it possible? Does it even make sense?

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, who writes for Yahoo Sports, Minnesota is among the teams that have "shown interest" in the Utah sharpshooter. Fischer began his report by saying the Warriors, Kings and Spurs are "strong possible suitors" to trade for Markannen, while the Jazz, at the same time, are interested in re-signing Markkanen.

"The Jazz have so far indicated to various parties around the NBA they would still like to renegotiate and extend Markkanen when the two sides become eligible to do so in August, sources said, and that listening to offers for Markkanen is just part of doing good business," Fischer wrote.

In 55 games in 2023-24, Markkanen averaged 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds had had shooting splits of 48.0/39.9/89.9. He's due to make $18 million in 2024-25 before becoming an unrestricted free agent after the season.

The Jazz building around Markkanen may make the most sense because they have the first-round picks from Minnesota and Cleveland in the loaded 2025 draft. If they deal Markkanen, the question would be if they trade him for more draft capital or over up-and-coming talent.

That brings us to the Timberwolves, who already gave the Jazz a bunch of their future draft capital in the Rudy Gobert trade and in order to aquire Markkanen would probably have to consider trading Karl-Anthony Towns or Jaden McDaniels.

Towns for Markkanen would seemingly make little sense for the Jazz because their games are similar and Markkanen is younger and cheaper. McDaniels is only 23 years old and one of the premiere wing defenders in the league, and he has a developing offensive game though it's nowhere near the level of Markkanen's offensive arsenal.

Markkanen was the seventh overall pick in the 2017 draft. That seventh pick was originally owned by the Timberwolves before it was traded to the Bulls in the Jimmy Butler blockbuster. Markkanen played four seasons in Chicago and one in Cleveland before joining the Jazz in 2022-23.