According to NBA insider Michael Scotto on Tuesday, the Utah Jazz consider Lauri Markkanen untouchable. At least for now, they hope to retain Markkanen and continue building the team around him.

Lauri Markkanen, 28, is a 6'6" (2.16m) and 109kg (5.5kg) forward who was drafted seventh overall in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft. He previously played for the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers before being traded to the Utah Jazz in September 2022 in a deal involving Donovan Mitchell.

During his three years with the Jazz, Markkanen played a total of 192 regular season games, averaging 23.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. So far this season, he has played 24 games for the Jazz, averaging 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steals in 35.3 minutes per game, helping the team to a 10-15 record and currently ranking tenth in the Western Conference.

According to Scotto's appearance on the YES Network program, several teams in the league have shown strong interest in Lauri Markkanen. He admitted, "The interesting thing about Lauri Markkanen is that when you talk to league executives, you find that many teams have been linked to him—like the San Antonio Spurs, who wanted to find a power forward partner for Victor Wimbledon; and the Memphis Grizzlies, who have a lot of draft picks after trading Desmond Bane."

"The Detroit Pistons also have a strong interest in Markkanen, after all, JB Bickerstaff was Markkanen's coach when he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers."

Scotto further pointed out that Markkanen remains an integral part of the Jazz's future blueprint: "Ideally, the team hopes to free up sufficient salary cap space next summer to optimize the roster. If we fall into the lottery again this season, management also hopes that this will be the last time for some time to come."

"They will use this opportunity to rebuild their roster and strive to make the playoffs. Re-signing Walker Kessler will be the last step, after they have used up their salary cap space."

Scotto concluded, "Despite the significant attention Lauri has garnered in the league, the Jazz currently have no intention of trading Markkanen. The Jazz's plan is to build around him for the long term, aiming to enhance the team's competitiveness and embark on a winning journey."