It looks like Lauri Markkanen already has a plan in place for how the next few months of his offseason will go while away from the Utah Jazz. And compared to some of his past summers while being with …
It looks like Lauri Markkanen already has a plan in place for how the next few months of his offseason will go while away from the Utah Jazz.
And compared to some of his past summers while being with the Jazz, things don’t appear to be looking much different from the norm.
Deseret News‘ Sarah Todd reported in a recent breakdown of the Jazz’s summer plans that Markkanen will be in the market for the next few months before taking a brief trip to Finland for the World Cup qualifiers.
“First up is Lauri Markkanen, who will be in-market until his kids are out of school, then he plans to go back to Finland and play for the Finnish national team in 2027 World Cup qualifying games. Those matches will be in the first week of July.”
Lauri Markkanen to Take Offseason Visit to Finland
Like last offseason, Markkanen would go overseas to play for the Finland national team, but instead of the World Cup, would compete in the EuroBasket tournament.
That tourney would be one in which the country and their national team would actually reach historic heights in by finishing in fourth place overall behind Germany, Turkey, and Greece; the best the team had ever accomplished.
This offseason, Markkanen will be with Finland again. Though the World Cup and their qualifiers are a bit of a different stage, the overarching process of going overseas to put on a Finnish uniform remains the same.
Markkanen still remains the only national player on the Finnish roster to have any NBA experience, considering he’s only one of two players in the country’s history to ever make it to the pros within the states.
So, any time that Markkanen has while on the Finnish national team is bound to be a vastly different experience from what the NBA provides. Yet, that lack of league experience hasn’t stopped him and the country from making their mark as one of the rising powers among the global basketball stage.
It also remains to be seen if any other players on the Jazz will decide to take a trip to Finland like last offseason.
In the summer of 2025, it would be Keyonte George as the one on Utah’s roster taking the trek over the pond to spend a few days in Finland, both to work out with the Jazz All-Star to build a bit of added chemistry, but also to get a glimpse of Markkanen’s hometown and the way of life in another country.
That visit was previously said to have a notably positive impact on the dynamic between both George and Markkanen. So in turn, perhaps that sets the stage for a similar opportunity to arise this summer in an effort to keep the ball rolling on the Jazz’s goals for next season.
Therefore, maybe George or another familiar face will take on a similar endeavor this offseason, but nonetheless, it all should set up for everyone around the Jazz roster to have a much-improved 2026-27 season ahead.
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