Ever since he was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and then traded to the Chicago Bulls in a deal involving Zach LaVine and Jimmy Butler, Lauri Markkanen has made his mark as a versatile scorer.
Markkanen’s stint with the Bulls lasted four seasons before he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, which was a stint that lasted a year before he was traded to the Utah Jazz in a deal involving Donovan Mitchell.
Although it looked like Markkanen would be on the move again, with the Golden State Warriors making a strong push to trade for him this offseason, Utah eventually signed him to a lucrative contract extension, setting up his long-term future with the Jazz.
Even though Markkanen is now known as a star in this league and the face of the Jazz, he does have one negative hanging over his head.
“Insanity: Lauri Markkanen is the longest active player to never reach the playoffs, per Basketball Reference. 8 YEARS … 419 GAMES,” Legion Hoops wrote on X.
Insanity: Lauri Markkanen is the longest active player to never reach the playoffs, per @bball_ref.
8 YEARS… 419 GAMES 😳 pic.twitter.com/dZUCM1mnpn
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 3, 2024
That’s a distinction that no NBA player wants, especially considering that he’s on a Jazz team that is one of the worst in the league and likely in the running to land Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft, meaning more losing seasons without playoff appearances are on the horizon.
It’ll be interesting to see how Markkanen’s career pans out and whether he’ll be able to make the postseason at some point, but right now, things aren’t looking good for him to do so in Utah.
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