{"id":113333,"date":"2024-12-20T10:59:55","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T15:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=113333"},"modified":"2024-12-20T10:59:55","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T15:59:55","slug":"lauri-markkanen-sga-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/12\/20\/lauri-markkanen-sga-solution\/","title":{"rendered":"Lauri Markkanen Has to Embrace an SGA Solution to His Limbo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lauri Markkanen<\/a> entered the 2024-25 NBA season as the face of the Utah Jazz<\/a>. Fresh off signing a five-year, $238 million<\/a> contract extension, expectations were high for the Finnish All-Star. However, the Jazz currently sit 14th in the Western Conference with a dismal 6-20<\/a> record. Despite appearing in 21 games, Markkanen’s production has declined. Lauri Markkanen’s situation mirrors Shai Gilgeous-Alexander\u2019s (<\/a>SGA) during Oklahoma City\u2019s rebuild. To thrive, Markkanen must embrace a similar approach to navigating his limbo.<\/p>\n

Lauri Markkanen Has to Embrace an SGA Solution to His Limbo<\/h2>\n

During his All-Star 2022-23 season, Markkanen averaged<\/a> 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds on 64% true shooting. This season, he averages 19.0 points and 6.6 rebounds with 62.3% true shooting. The Jazz\u2019s<\/a> focus on developing young talent has affected his usage, leaving Markkanen seemingly disengaged.<\/p>\n

The SGA Blueprint for Navigating Rebuilds<\/h3>\n

SGA faced a challenging situation after Oklahoma City’s 2019-20<\/a> playoff appearance. The team dismantled its core, leaving SGA as the lone bright spot. Over the next two seasons, the Thunder won just 22 and 24 games, fully committing to a rebuild.<\/p>\n

Despite this, SGA improved his game. He averaged<\/a> 23.7 and 24.5 points per game in those seasons. He trusted the organization\u2019s long-term vision and maintained consistency. His focus on growth paid off, culminating in a breakout 2022-23<\/a> season and a play-in for the Thunder. Shai and OKC followed this up by earning the top seed in the 2023-24 season. Markkanen must follow SGA\u2019s example. He cannot let Utah\u2019s struggles impact his effort or commitment.<\/p>\n

The Jazz\u2019s Competitive History Demands Engagement<\/h3>\n

The Jazz are not a franchise accustomed to mediocrity. As recently as 2021-22<\/a>, the Jazz won 49 games. Unlike other franchises, such as the Charlotte Hornets<\/a>, who have a history of underwhelming results, the Jazz take pride in consistent competitiveness.\u00a0Markkanen\u2019s presence on this roster signals their intention to rebuild<\/a> quickly, not languish at the bottom. At 27 he is entering his prime and should play an active role in the process.<\/p>\n

Adjusting Minutes and Usage<\/h3>\n

SGA\u2019s success during Oklahoma City\u2019s rebuild stemmed from consistent opportunities. He averaged 33.7 and 34.7 minutes per game during those down years. His usage rate also climbed, reaching 27.0 and 30.8.<\/p>\n

By contrast, Markkanen is averaging just 31.8 minutes per game with a usage rate of 22.1%. These numbers are too low for a franchise player. Head coach Will Hardy<\/a> must adjust Markkanen\u2019s role to keep him engaged and productive.\u00a0A higher usage rate and extended minutes could help Markkanen regain his All-Star form. It would also showcase his value, even during a rebuild.<\/p>\n

The Risk of Wasted Prime Years<\/h3>\n

Markkanen cannot afford to let his prime years slip away. His age aligns with the peak performance window for most NBA players. Spending those years as a passive participant on a rebuilding team could harm his legacy.\u00a0While Markkanen has financial security with his new contract, basketball is not only about money. Top players thrive on competitive success and recognition. Markkanen must channel his competitive drive to avoid stagnation.<\/p>\n

A Call to Action for Markkanen and the Jazz<\/h3>\n

Markkanen has the tools to thrive, even in Utah\u2019s current situation. However, he must take ownership of his role. He should demand more involvement on the court and approach each game with renewed energy.\u00a0The Jazz<\/a>, in turn, must empower Markkanen by giving him more opportunities. Hardy should ensure Markkanen feels integral to the team’s growth, even in a rebuilding phase.<\/p>\n

By embracing the SGA approach, Markkanen<\/a> can turn this challenging period into a stepping stone. The Jazz can also accelerate their rebuild by maximizing their star player\u2019s impact. Both parties have the power to change their trajectory\u2014if they act decisively.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lauri Markkanen entered the 2024-25 NBA season as the face of the Utah Jazz. Fresh off signing a five-year, $238 million contract extension, expectations were high for the Finnish All-Star. However, the Jazz currently sit 14th in the Western Conference with a dismal 6-20 record. Despite appearing in 21 games, Markkanen’s production has declined. Lauri […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":113362,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,62,22,24],"tags":[49864,49979,926,727,639,2113,596,563,1489,4736],"class_list":["post-113333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-nba","category-thunder","category-jazz","tag-2022-23-season","tag-2024-25-nba-season","tag-lauri-markkanen","tag-most-improved-player","tag-nba-all-star","tag-nba-contract-extension","tag-nba-playoffs","tag-nba-western-conference","tag-shai-gilgeous-alexander","tag-will-hardy"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113333"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":113363,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113333\/revisions\/113363"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}