Unless something ridiculous happens, the Portland Trail Blazers roster is set for the 2025-26 season. While it’s not a championship contender, the group isn’t lacking for young, unrealized talent, which should make the campaign interesting at the very least.

But what if General Manager Joe Cronin decided he wanted to make a splashy move on a long, rangy, sweet-shooting All-Star who fills a position of need?

I point to the Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen. Last week The Ringer’s Zach Lowe and Rob Mahoney suggested the Blazers as a team that might fit for the 28-year-old Finnish power forward.

Markkanen took a while to bloom after being taken by the Chicago Bulls with the seventh pick in 2017. The Blazers were actually involved in the deal that moved him to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021 — the Blazers received Larry Nancy Jr. in the same transaction.

He was then moved to the Utah Jazz a year later as part of the return for Donovan Mitchell, making the All-Star game in 2023 representing a lowly Salt Lake City squad. Now, as the Jazz continue to have no immediate focus on the NBA Playoffs, they may be open to parting with the Finn for the right price.

Markkanen is a little different than your typical seven-footer. Given his ability to hit the long ball, the Finnish star is rarely in the running for offensive rebounds. He’s not a terrible defender, but there’s every chance he’d be the weakest option on this defense-first Blazers squad. While he’s been known to guard bigger small forwards, he’s best served at the four where he’s able to use his size to quell bigger opponents.

Offense is where he shines. I’m reluctant to use the last couple of seasons as billboards for his production given the Jazz’ overt preference to lose as much as possible. Instead, I’m opting to illuminate his 2022-23 All Star campaign as the truest example of his ability.

That season, Markkanen played 66 games winning Most Improved Player. He averaged 25.6 points on 39.1 percent from three and 49.9 percent from the field to go with 8.6 boards, 1.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks.

Among forwards, he ranked fifth in corner three pointers at 50 percent, fifth in points per shot attempt, sixth in defensive rebounds and 15th in effective field goal percentage.

As for the money, Markkanen signed an extension 12 months ago, which will owe him $195.9 million over the next four years, with $46.4 million coming to him this season. If he did end up in Portland, he’d be the team’s highest paid player, and not by a small margin.

The Blazers have to match Markkanen’s money, which means one of Jrue Holiday or Jerami Grant would be needed as salary ballast. Given the recent acquisition of Holiday combined with the fact that Markkanen plays the same position as Grant, the Blazers would be more inclined to part with the latter. Grant’s deal has been widely panned across the league, so Danny and Austin Ainge would want more to counteract said negative value.

I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest Scoot Henderson be included. The Jazz are still searching for a point guard and Henderson’s still-healthy value might allow the Blazers to keep a draft pick or two. Kris Murray then gets thrown in to make the money work.

As far as picks go, Henderson’s inclusion would lower the number of draft assets that go out. I’m thinking the Orlando Magic 2028 first-rounder (collected on this year’s draft night), and maybe a future pick swap.

Alternatively, you can take Henderson and Murray out and include Robert Williams III. However, the Blazers would probably have to regain control of their immediate draft future from the Chicago Bulls in order to include further first round draft capital on top of the Magic pick.

In pure basketball terms, Markkanen makes sense in Portland. While not the defensive force of his new teammates, the Finn would deliver the offensive punch this team desperately needs. While both Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija can serve at the four, playing them on the wing make the Blazers longer and more versatile.

A lineup of Holiday, Camara, Avdija, Markkanen and Donovan Clingan poses a number of questions for teams while still boasting an above average defense that strangles scoring on the other side.

Markkanen opens up all kinds of funky offensive lineup possibilities by playing him at the five for short bursts. Despite his defensive flaws, you can also play him at the four next to Clingan, presenting a twin towers situation where opposition players need to navigate two seven footers.

At 28, Markkanen is three years younger and considerably better than Grant while being young enough to continue growing with this young Blazers squad with the one-time All Star in his prime.

The money. Even with Jrue Holiday’s addition, the Blazers could have actual cap space next summer. Bringing in Markkanen hurts that, making it difficult for Cronin to add anyone of real note moving forward with extensions needed for the rest of the youth brigade.

Adding Markkanen to the current group would essentially solidify the franchise’s core moving forward and even with internal growth I’m not sure it’s good enough to keep up with the top of the Western Conference.

Obviously, the loss of assets to get Markkanen is an issue. While I’m yet to be convinced by Henderson, throwing him into the deal removes one of the young assets that Blazers tanked for, which may still have the potential to be a decent rotation player

I really like Markkanen. The All Star’s size and skillset present a number of interesting possibilities for this developing roster, offering an injection of offense to help counter the mostly defensive identity this playing group boasts. The fact that he’s a multi-faceted three point shooter, standing seven foot is tantalizing in and of itself.

But dealing with the Ainge family won’t be easy with the Blazers likely needing to part with real – and multiple – assets to bring him in. There’s also Markkanen’s deal to consider: a four-year commitment that removes any real chance at cap space next summer and locks the franchise into the Finn for the foreseeable future.

If Cronin felt Markkanen was the missing piece and made a play, I wouldn’t be upset. But I don’t think the time is right. If the Blazers showed signs of being competitive this season, they could always revisit it in 12 months. If not moved, the Blazers will still have Grant’s deal to move in 2026 along with any further assets they collect.

Obviously by waiting, they run the risk that the Jazz move Markkanen elsewhere. That’s a perfectly fine risk to take. He’s not the snuggest fit, and there may be better options for the Blazers 12 months from now.

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