Report: Lauri Markkanen ‘privately’ wants to join Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis on Mavs

The Dallas Mavericks have a bright future ahead of them. Their two best players, Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, are still both quite young and have already led the team to back-to-back playoff appearances.

The squad might be able to land another promising young star this coming offseason in Lauri Markkanen.

“So where might Markkanen end up?” wrote Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. “The one place he privately wants to land is with the Mavericks, joining guard Luka Doncic and big man Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavericks will have serious cap room this offseason and were in the middle of the pack in three-point shooting, but Markkanen and Porzingis might be too similar in terms of their skills for that to happen.”

Markkanen was the seventh overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. When the Chicago Bulls traded for him, the front office was expecting the Finnish big man to be an integral part of the team’s rebuild.

But after a promising start to his career, the 7-foot forward saw his production decline this season. He averaged career-lows in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game. He was also removed from the starting lineup midway into the season after previously starting for his entire career.

Markkanen could be a good fit with Doncic, Porzingis and the rest of the Mavs’ young core if he indeed wants to sign with Dallas. The Bulls, however, have the right to match any offer for Markkanen because he is a restricted free agent.