Can the Kings land Lauri Markkanen?

It’s no secret the Sacramento Kings have been looking to trade for an upgrade on the wings. The Kings have been connected to Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, and Cam Johnson among others this summer. But yesterday a new name emerged: Lauri Markkanen.

James Ham and Damien Barling discussed the Kings pursuit of Lauri yesterday morning, which was followed not long after by a report from Yahoo’s Jake Fischer:

In addition to Golden State, Sacramento and San Antonio have been the two other teams characterized by league figures with knowledge of the situation as strong possible suitors for Markkanen at this point.

The challenge for Sacramento is that it’s never easy to negotiate with Danny Ainge. Ainge will almost surely be asking for Keegan Murray in return, but all indications from local reports is that the Kings would be very unlikely to include Keegan. Without Keegan Murray, it’s hard to see how the Kings can put together an offer to the Jazz that beats the offers the Warriors, Spurs, or other suitors can offer.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that other teams will include their prize assets for Markkanen, who is entering the final year of his contract.

If the Kings can land Markkanen without giving up Keegan Murray, it would be a fantastic addition. Lauri brings size, athleticism, scoring, rebounding, and outside shooting that be an incredible fit alongside the Kings other stars.

The downside, much like the concern with Brandon Ingram, would be future costs. Markkanen will likely require a max contract extension next season. While he’s worth it, adding another max puts the Kings in a tricky position moving into the future. We’ve seen the impacts this summer around the league as teams attempt to avoid the harsh restriction of the second apron.

Trading for Lauri Markkanen, without giving up Keegan Murray, would be a huge win for the Kings and would significantly raise the ceiling of this team. I’ll be shocked if the Kings can pull it off, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed.