The NBA offseason isn't over just yet! According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Lauri Markkanen is finally on the move after many rumors regarding the talented big man. The Chicago Bulls are sending him to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a massive sign-and-trade after the NBA offseason had been at a standstill.
That is a ton of money for Markkanen, and there seems to be a third team in the deal as well. According to Woj, the Portland Trail Blazers have hopped in and helped facilitate the trade, and the Blazers are getting Larry Nance Jr. as part of the deal in an NBA shocker.
This is a big deal, and this finally puts to bed the endless rumors surrounding where — or if — Markkanen was going to be dealt after the Bulls added DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso in the offseason.
This NBA free agency period has been a wild one, and it seemed destined for Markkanen to take his talents elsewhere. However, the Cavs are certainly a surprising team to be joining in for the big man, and the roster construction in Cleveland is an interesting one, to say the least. As for the Blazers, getting Nance is a stellar move to help out Damian Lillard and the defense.
Overall, this is an impactful three-team trade to spice up the doldrums of the offseason.