Conflicting reports from Lauri Markkanen are further fueling the Jazz’s uncertainty

To trade or not to trade in Lauri Markkanen. That’s the question for the Utah Jazz. Everyone and their mother has already heard the idea that the Jazz would be better off without Markkanen, while the Jazz themselves have officially stated that their intention is to keep him. The two latest reports about the Jazz star only add more uncertainty to his future in Utah.

Yesterday, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix said Utah is “open for business” regarding a potential Markkanen trade. However, KSL’s Ben Anderson revealed that a source told him something completely different.

But it’s fair to say that Anderson’s report doesn’t suggest Utah is necessarily opposed to a Markkanen trade if the right one presents itself.

So this doesn’t necessarily contradict what Mannix reported in full, but it gives a better idea of ​​what the vibe of a potential Markkanen trade looks like. However, because these two reports say two different things about where the Jazz stand with Markkanen, it becomes all the muddier to find out if he will stay in Utah long-term.

Even though the Jazz’s getting younger fuels the argument that they are better off without Markkanen, the idea that they might not be so bad in the not too distant future also fuels the argument that they should keep him around.

How Utah performs this season will likely determine their direction with Markkanen

This season will be all about which Jazz kids are goalies, but also seeing which Markkans will make an appearance this season. If Markkanen looks good and the Jazz still lose most of their games — this is the most likely scenario to unfold this season — it will all depend on how NBA-ready their young talent is.

If they show that Utah’s losing ways won’t last much longer, it will convince the Jazz’s front office that it’s best to keep him. If it goes the other way, they may come to the opposite conclusion.

The added wrinkle in this rampant Markkanen drama is that if he looks anything like he did last season, not only would Utah prefer to get rid of him, but it would make it even harder for them to do so. That doesn’t seem likely, as Utah has made it clear that fans won’t see a repeat of what happened last season.

Therefore, these Markkanen reports will likely be just the beginning of the ongoing trade rumors that will surely circulate from now until the trade deadline passes or if the Jazz hypothetically decide to cut ties with their lone star.

Utah would likely prefer to retain Markkanen for when the team becomes a playoff contender again, but at this time there is no timetable for when that will happen.