Why Lauri Markkanen Can't Be Traded in 2024-25 With New Contract Per NBA Trade Rules

Patrick Andres | Aug 6, 2024

Mar 27, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) reacts to a play against the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter at Delta Center. / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The Utah Jazz are reportedly keeping forward Lauri Markkanen around for the foreseeable future.

On Tuesday, news broke from Shams Charania, Tony Jones and Anthony Slater of The Athletic that the Jazz and Markkanen were closing in on a long-term contract extension—one that would render the 2023 Most Improved Player untradeable for the entire 2025 season.

If finalized, it's the kind of contract that could shake up the plans of several teams. Utah is looking for improvement after its worst season in a decade, while the aging Golden State Warriors have been repeatedly connected to Markkanen in offseason trade chatter.

JUST IN: NBA All-Star Lauri Markkanen and the Utah Jazz are expected to agree to a massive long-term contract extension and sign Wednesday or later, making him untradeable for entire 2024-25, sources tell me, @Tjonesonthenba, @anthonyVslater.

Details: https://t.co/g4ioZvcaix

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 6, 2024

It's worth asking, however: from a procedural standpoint, why wouldn't the Jazz be able to trade Markkanen under the potential deal?

Why an Extension Could Make Lauri Markkanen Untradeable in 2025

It all comes down to the timing of the extension. If you, a hypothetical NBA player, are extended for two or more additional seasons and receive a salary increase of greater than five percent, you are automatically ineligible to be traded for the next six calendar months.

Let's do some mental math here. Reports that Markkanen would be extended emerged on Tuesday, Aug. 6. Six months from Aug. 6 is Feb. 6, 2025—a date that happens to be the league's trade deadline next season.

Thus, assuming Markkanen inks his extension in the near future, Utah would not be able to move him until after the '25 season.

Given the Vantaa, Finland native has crossed the 20-point-per-game plateau in both of his seasons with the Jazz, that will presumably come as a relief to the citizens of Salt Lake City.