Many of the top NBA free agents have already agreed to a contract while Lauri Markkanen remains an intriguing name that remains available in restricted free agency.
Since the Chicago Bulls acquired Nikola Vucevic ahead of the NBA trade deadline back in March, there hasn’t been a clean fit for Markkanen. The frontcourt duo was too underwhelming defensively for it to be a viable fit. Wendell Carter Jr. was able to cover up some of those concerns but Vucevic is unable.
The production that Markkanen achieved was the worst of his career within a single-season in 2020-21. His playing time went down to an average of 25.8 minutes and his averages declined to 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds. He did still manage to 40.2% from the perimeter on 5.8 attempts per game.
The Bulls are reportedly seeking a first-round pick to facilitate a sign-and-trade involving Markkenen in addition to requiring outgoing salary to be dealt to a third-team.
READ MORE: Predictions for NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Lillard, Hield, Ingles, Siakam
Some believe that Markkanen could end up signing the qualifying offer if he is unable to get a sign-and-trade deal with the Bulls’ cooperation. That could happen if a team isn’t willing to offer a deal that is worthy of signing for the next three seasons, which is the length required for a sign-and-trade.
Let’s take a look at three teams who could look to pull off a sign-and-trade deal for Lauri Markkenen.
