Among the top NBA free agents who still remain unsigned is Lauri Markkanen, the 7-foot sharpshooter who was taken No. 7 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. He wishes to move on from the Chicago Bulls and the New Orleans Pelicans have been linked as a potential option.

As reported by Marc Stein, the Pelicans have shown some level of interest in Markkanen in a potential sign-and-trade scenario. New Orleans would need to use the $17 million trade exception they possess in order to help facilitate a potential deal.

There was originally speculation at the beginning of the offseason that a potential double sign-and-trade could take place between the Bulls and Pelicans that features Lonzo Ball.

Ball has long since landed with the Bulls and Markkanen was not part of the deal in order to get him there. Instead, the Pelicans completed a sign-and-trade that netted them Garrett Temple, Tomas Satoranksy, and a 2024 second-round draft pick and cash.

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There is still a more than viable pathway for the Pelicans to complete a sign-and-trade scenario for Markkanen but it becomes a matter of what exactly would New Orleans give up to get it done?

Let’s take a look at a sign-and-trade scenario for Lauri Markkanen from Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz that would send him from the Chicago Bulls to the New Orleans Pelicans.