After a summer rife with trade speculation, Jazz All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen becomes eligible to sign a lengthy and lucrative extension with Utah on Tuesday. There are plenty of particulars worth examining regarding Markkanen’s earning potential on a new contract. But the most integral aspect of negotiations between Markkanen’s representation and the Jazz front office — perhaps the most critical element of Utah’s overall team build — is simply what date Markkanen actually puts pen to paper.
Utah has every incentive to lavish Markkanen with a long-term offer this week, or the Jazz would risk permitting the 27-year-old to play out the final year of his current deal and test the open market next summer as a free agent.