Markkanen (back) is questionable for Monday's game against the Bulls, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Markkanen has missed two straight games due to back spasms, allowing Kyle Filipowski to enter the starting lineup. If Markkanen is cleared to return, he'll likely face some restrictions.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Downgraded to out
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Markkanen (back) won't play in Saturday's game versus the Nuggets, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Markkanen will miss his second consecutive contest Saturday while dealing with back spasms. Kyle Filipowski will likely draw another start in his absence. Markkanen's next chance to suit up is Monday's matchup with Chicago.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Unlikely to play Saturday
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Markkanen (back) is doubtful for Saturday's game against the Nuggets, Ben Anderson of KSL News Salt Lake City reports.
Markkanen is expected to miss a second straight game after experiencing back spasms during Tuesday's loss to the Kings. With Taylor Hendricks (lower leg) also out, Kyle Filipowski and Cody Williams have been starting in the frontcourt next to Walker Kessler.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Won't go Thursday
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Markkanen (back) is out for Thursday's game against the Spurs, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports.
Markkanen experienced back spasms during Tuesday's game against Sacramento and was forced to leave early, and the team appears to be playing it safe by giving him a few extra days to recover. John Collins and Kyle Filipowski are candidates to start at power forward Thursday in Markkanen's absence.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Deemed questionable for Thursday
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Markkanen (back) is questionable for Thursday's game against the Spurs, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports.
Markkanen left Tuesday's game against the Kings with back spasms, and he's at risk of missing Thursday's tilt due to the injury. Kyle Filipowski and John Collins would be first in line for minutes if Markkanen were to sit out.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Out for remainder of game
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Markkanen won't return to Tuesday's game versus the Kings due to lower back spasms, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News reports.
Markkanen tallied seven points (3-5 FG, 1-3 3Pt), three rebounds and one assist in 17 minutes before exiting Tuesday's contest early. In Markkanen's absence, Kyle Filipowski, Brice Sensabaugh and John Collins are candidates to receive increased playing time.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Inefficient during Friday's blowout
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Markkanen provided 13 points (4-17 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 4-7 FT), eight rebounds, two assists and one steal over 27 minutes during Friday's 127-86 loss to the Warriors.
The Jazz shot just 31.5 percent from the field Friday (including 9-for-42 from three-point range), and Markkanen was not immune from those shooting struggles as he connected on less than 25 percent of his field-goal attempts. It was a far cry from his 35-point outing during the Jazz's loss to the Grizzlies on Wednesday, but these nights will happen for a young team coming off a 31-win 2023-24 campaign. Markkanen will look to bounce back against Dallas on Monday.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Scores 35 points in tight loss
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Markkanen chipped in 35 points (9-15 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 13-14 FT), nine rebounds and two assists over 35 minutes during Wednesday's 126-124 loss to the Grizzlies.
Markkanen led all players in scoring Wednesday, but his impressive performance wasn't enough to lift the Jazz to victory in this season opener. Fresh off signing a five-year, $238 million contract extension with the Jazz during the offseason, Markkanen is firmly established as Utah's go-to player on offense. Both his numbers and his usage rate in this season opener certainly backed that up.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Returns from rest with solid line
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Markkanen logged 21 points (4-10 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 10-10 FT), four rebounds and a blocked shot across 32 minutes in Tuesday's 117-114 win over the Kings.
The Jazz went all-in with Markkanen during the offseason, signing him to a five-year, $238 million extension. Injuries plagued Markkanen somewhat last season, and it's a pattern he has replicated often during his seven-year career. He's never recorded more than 68 games during his tenures with Chicago, Cleveland and Utah. Although he's invaluable when healthy, his fantasy potential will only be fully realized if he can reverse that trend.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Good to go Tuesday
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Markkanen (rest) is in the starting lineup for Tuesday's preseason game versus the Kings, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports.
Markkanen will return to action Tuesday after sitting out the previous contest for rest purposes. Markkanen will replace Cody Williams in the starting lineup against Sacramento.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Not in starting lineup vs. Spurs
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Markkanen (rest) is not in the starting five for Saturday's preseason game against the Spurs, Paul Garcia of ProjectSpurs.com reports.
The Jazz will take a look at Cody Williams in the starting five, and Markkanen is among a list of Utah players who won't see action Saturday, according to Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. The 27-year-old played 29 minutes in Thursday's win over the Mavericks, during which he logged 26 points (9-19 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 4-5 FT), seven rebounds and an assist.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Bounces back in win over Dallas
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Markkanen registered 26 points (9-19 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 4-5 FT), seven rebounds and an assist across 29 minutes in Thursday's 107-102 preseason win over the Mavericks.
Markkanen needed a strong performance as a confidence booster following a woeful shooting effort against the Rockets on Monday, and that's exactly what happened here. The star forward led all players in scoring and showed he's ready for the start of the regular-season opener against Memphis on Oct. 23. Markkanen averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.2 three-pointers and 2.0 assists in 33.1 minutes per game over 55 regular-season appearances in 2023-24.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Struggles vs. Houston
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Markkanen finished with 17 points (3-11 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 11-13 FT), four rebounds and an assist across 24 minutes in Monday's 122-113 preseason win over the Rockets.
On the surface, Markkanen's stat line looked good, as he led the Jazz in scoring in this preseason win. However, he would've had a woeful performance hadn't it been for his 13 trips to the charity stripe. One positive aspect is that Markkanen is finding ways to get the job done even when his shot isn't falling, and it's not like the preseason numbers will have any impact on his role as the Jazz's primary offensive threat ahead of the regular-season opener vs. Memphis on Oct. 23.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Solid in preseason opener
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Markkanen registered 13 points (5-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT) and three rebounds across 16 minutes in Friday's 116-87 preseason win over the Breakers.
Markkanen was the only member of the starting unit who didn't reach the 15-minute plateau, but he didn't need to play much to leave his mark on the game as one of six Utah players who scored in double digits. Markkanen signed a five-year, $238 million contract extension with the Jazz in early August and will operate as the team's go-to player on offense as long as he stays healthy. He averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.2 three-pointers and 2.0 assists in 33.1 minutes per game over 55 regular-season appearances in 2023-24.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Cleared to play
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Markkanen (shoulder) will be a full participant in training camp this week, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Markkanen missed Utah's final nine games of the 2023-24 season, and he wasn't able to play for the Finnish national team during the 2024 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July. He has a clean bill of health now, however, and he will be returning as the focal point of Utah's offense after securing a five-year, $238 million contract extension with the Jazz.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Reaches extension with Utah
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Marrkanen (shoulder) agreed to a five-year, $238 million contract extension with the Jazz on Wednesday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
The extension includes a renegotiation of his 2024-25 salary, with Markkanen earning another $24 million on top of the $18 million he was already fully guaranteed. With the extension, Markkanen will not be eligible to be traded prior to the Feb. 6 deadline, so the forward could be in store for a long-term stay in Utah. Markkanen will be a popular target early on in fantasy drafts during the upcoming season after averaging 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.2 three-pointers, 2.0 assists in 33.1 minutes per game over 55 appearances in 2023-24.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Will sign extension with Utah
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Markkanen (shoulder) is expected to sign a long-term extension with the Jazz, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports Tuesday.
One of the most coveted trade targets on the market is now staying put, and a deal could be signed as soon as Wednesday. Markkanen would therefore be ineligible to be traded during the 2024-25 season, and the deal will keep him on the books through 2029. While specifics aren't known yet, Charania is reporting that the deal is expected to be upwards of $200 million which would make this the richest contract in Jazz history. Over the last two campaigns with the Jazz, Markkanen compiled regular-season averages of 24.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Out for FIBA Qualifying Tournament
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Markkanen (shoulder) will not play for Finland during the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July, Evan Sidery of Forbes Sports reports.
Markkanen is still rehabbing a right shoulder injury which forced him out of Utah's last nine games. The 27-year-old will not rush his recovery to play in the qualifier, as he is expected to return to on-court activities in August. Markkanen played in 55 games for the Jazz last season, averaging 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 48.0 percent from the field.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: To be re-evaluated in two weeks
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Markkanen (shoulder) will be re-evaluated in two weeks, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Markkanen continues to experience discomfort, and an MRI confirmed that he aggravated his previous right shoulder impingement. With just a little over two weeks remaining in the season, it's very possible that his regular season is over. At best, he could return for the finale on April 14, but there won't be much incentive to rush him back. Guys like Taylor Hendricks, Brice Sensabaugh and Johnny Juzang could see a bump in playing time with this news.
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Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Sitting out Friday
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Markkanen (shoulder) won't play in Friday's matchup with the Rockets.
Markkanen will be sidelined for the second time in four games due to right shoulder soreness. In Markkanen's absence, Johnny Juzang and Brice Sensabaugh will presumably see extended roles. Markkanen's next chance to suit up will come Sunday against the Kings.
