Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen was one of two players that the franchise made untouchable ahead of the 2022-23 trade deadline but in case he needed any more indication that the Jazz plan to keep him for the long run, he got it.
In a lengthy interview about his career journey, Markkanen told HoopsHype's Michael Scotto that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge told him that he could buy a house in Utah.
It was a gesture that Markkanen appreciated, even though he understands the nature of the NBA means that he could always be moved in the right deal.
“Yeah, it felt good knowing that – even though it’s a business and if the right deal comes along, you could still get traded – it definitely felt good to hear that so we could get out of our apartment and we have a new place (house) to live in now with my family. It was a good feeling to get that approval from the front office.”
Markkanen, who was drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, spent his four seasons with the Chicago Bulls before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021. The Cavs then sent Markkanen to the Jazz in the deal that landed them All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell.
The constant trades had his Finnish friends scared to come visit.
“Yeah. A lot of times, I'd have friends come over. In Cleveland, we owned a house. I had people coming over to visit me. I remember in September, October, or even November, guys were afraid to book tickets from Finland because flights are expensive. They were asking me, ‘Are you going to be there?' I didn't really have people coming over because they were worried about buying tickets and if I got flipped or traded somewhere else.”
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