Lauri Markkanen – Chicago Bulls

For some reason, Lauri Markkanen is not talked about enough when he really deserves to be. He is one of the better big men in the league under 24-years old and the last three years with the Bulls, he has been one of their best players on the offensive end of the court. 

Now in his fourth year in the league with Chicago, Lauri Markkanen has averaged 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and has shot 36.1% from three-point range over the course of his career. He is not a traditional big man who plays in the low-post and outmuscles his opponents in the paint, but his outside shooting and his pick-and-roll play is what makes him such a unique player. 

While the Suns do have plenty of depth at the forward position, with Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson all having the ability to play the power-forward position, they could really benefit from adding a young phenom like Markkanen. He is another high-level player they could have on their roster and could create one of the better frontcourts in the entire league. 

This past offseason, Lauri Markkanen was eligible for a contract-extension with the Bulls, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement and were reportedly $4M apart for the starting salary figure in the first year of the multi-year deal. 

With the Bulls and their young forward unable to reach an agreement, he is set to become a restricted free agent this offseason and if Chicago sees his future slipping away from them, they could be willing to listen to offers for him near the trade deadline. Nonetheless, even if they keep him this season, the Suns could still execute a sign-and-trade for him in the offseason. 

Given his perimeter play and his overall effectiveness to be a great stretch big man, Lauri Markkanen could be a difference maker for the Phoenix Suns and help elevate them from a playoff threat to a legit contender in the Western Conference.