Lauri Markkanen Free Agency Fits: San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have already been linked to Markkanen, which plays a big role in them making this list. If Gregg Popovich sees the potential in him and has a plan for him with the franchise, it’s hard to argue it wouldn’t be a good fit for Markkanen’s career moving forward.
The Spurs could undergo a decent amount of roster change this off-season. DeMar DeRozan is set to test free agency and his goals may not align with the franchises for the next few years. He’s their offensive leader and would make them a much different team but that’s not a bad thing.
If San Antonio wants to get younger, their interest in Markkanen makes a ton of sense. If DeRozan were to leave in free agency not only would they have money opened up but they’d have holes to fill offensively.
Lauri is also a great fit when thinking about how he would pair with point guard Dejounte Murray. Murray is a defensive ace and a good but not great offensive player. His strengths on offense come inside the arc in the mid-range and attacking the rim.
A floor spacer like Markkanen would create plenty of open looks when Murray attacks the basket. Giving him as much room to work as possible should be a Spurs priority this off-season and Markkanen would help in that way significantly.
Markkanen is coming off a career-best three-point shooting season. He shot 40.2 percent from deep on 5.8 attempts per game. His previous career-high came during his rookie season when he shot 36.2 percent from three-point range.