By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-07-02 15:34:28
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
2024年3月27日，在盐湖城举行的NBA篮球比赛中，犹他爵士队前锋劳里·马尔卡宁（23岁）（Lauri Markkanen）在下半场观战。 (美联社照片/里克·鲍默)
自从三年前马刺队开始拆队重建以来，总经理布莱恩·赖特(Brian Wright)和他的管理层团队一直在囤积未来的选秀权，等待着为这个项目增加一名大牌老将的机会。
去年六月，维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)的到来是天赐良机，但这并没有改变他们的目标。
在今年NBA自由球员市场开启不到一周的时间里，马刺队长期以来希望通过一笔重磅交易来加速球队重建的梦想，可能即将实现。
马刺队是少数几支已经联系犹他爵士队，询问这位神射手大个子劳里·马尔卡宁(Lauri Markkanen)是否可以交易的球队之一。这位27岁的全明星球员的合同将在明年夏天到期。
正如赖特在描述马刺队的阵容建设方法时所说的那样，“战略性地具有侵略性”，就这一点而言，这支球队没有比这位芬兰最好的球员更糟糕的选择了。
身高7英尺的马尔卡宁在芝加哥和克利夫兰度过了职业生涯中令人难忘的开局后，在过去两个赛季效力爵士队期间场均得到24.5分和8.4个篮板。此外，马尔卡宁在上个赛季的三分球命中率接近40%。
马刺队对交易得到马尔卡宁感兴趣的原因很明显。他似乎天生就是为了与文班亚马并肩作战而生的。
目前还不清楚马尔卡宁到底有多大的可能性被交易。这是第一个难题。
犹他自身的重建项目似乎也处于十字路口。
爵士队今年夏天可能会成为买家，并寻求另一位球星与马尔卡宁搭档。或者他们也可能是卖家，希望在马尔卡宁在下个休赛期获得一份丰厚的续约合同之前，从他的交易中获利。
在这种情况下，爵士队毫无疑问会寻求能够帮助他们为未来建队的资产。这就是马刺队可以介入的地方。
根据各种联盟范围内的报道，萨克拉门托国王队、金州勇士队、新奥尔良鹈鹕队和明尼苏达森林狼队也表示有兴趣探索马尔卡宁的交易。
这些球队中没有一支能够与马刺队未来首轮选秀权的宝库相媲美，这可能会使他们成为爵士队一个有吸引力的交易伙伴。
由于从2021年德玛尔·德罗赞(DeMar DeRozan)先签后换加盟芝加哥公牛队开始的一系列交易，马刺队已经积累了从现在到2031年的11个首轮选秀权，以及4个选秀权互换的机会。
马刺队还积累了20个同一时间段的次轮选秀权，尽管对于马尔卡宁这种水平的球员来说，这些选秀权可能不会有多大吸引力。
如果需要年轻球员来增加对爵士队的吸引力，马刺队有一些有吸引力的目标，比如凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)、杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)，或者可能是德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)。
马刺队对马尔卡宁的兴趣由来已久。
早在2021年与公牛队谈判德罗赞的交易时，他们就询问过马尔卡宁是否可以交易，但遭到了拒绝。芝加哥最终将马尔卡宁送到了克利夫兰，作为另一笔交易的一部分。
如果爵士队决定将马尔卡宁摆上货架，那么马刺队剩下的最大障碍可能是价格标签。
犹他高管丹尼·安吉(Danny Ainge)以强硬的讨价还价作风而闻名，这可以追溯到他在波士顿凯尔特人队的时候。
当谈到马尔卡宁时，许多NBA观察家认为，安吉想要得到一份与纽约尼克斯队上周为米卡尔·布里奇斯(Mikal Bridges)送出的筹码相当的报价。
在那笔交易中，尼克斯队送出了五个首轮选秀权给布鲁克林篮网队，换来了一名虽然足够稳固，但从未获得过全明星提名的球员。
如果爵士队要求马刺队为马尔卡宁付出类似于布里奇斯那样的代价，那么对马刺队来说，这可能就太过分了。
此外，任何现在交易得到马尔卡宁的球队都希望得到保证，他会在合同到期后重新签约。与全明星控球后卫克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)不同——他同意了一份为期一年、价值1100万美元的自由球员合同，本周加盟马刺队——俱乐部并不认为马尔卡宁只是一个赛季的租借球员。
如果无法达成马尔卡宁的交易，预计马刺队将继续寻找渐进的方式来改善阵容，直到自由球员市场结束。
马刺队正在市场上寻求提升他们的外线投射能力，这已经不是什么秘密了，像巴迪·希尔德(Buddy Hield)、加里·特伦特 Jr.(Gary Trent Jr.)、马利克·比斯利(Malik Beasley)和加里·哈里斯(Gary Harris)这样的神射手仍然在市场上。
当然，马尔卡宁也能满足这一需求。
时间会证明，马刺队是否有能力跨越芬兰人的防线，达成一笔关于马尔卡宁的交易。
点击查看原文：San Antonio Spurs emerge among Markkanen suitors
San Antonio Spurs emerge among Markkanen suitors
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday, March 27, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
For the better part of three years since the Spurs’ teardown and rebuild began, general manager Brian Wright and his front office team have been hoarding future draft picks, awaiting the opportunity to add a marquee veteran to the project.
The godsend of Victor Wembanyama’s arrival last June did nothing to change that aim.
Less than a week into this summer’s NBA free agency period, the Spurs’ long-held dreams of swinging a blockbuster trade to turbocharge their reconstruction efforts could be approaching a big Finnish.
The Spurs are among a handful of teams who have reached out to the Utah Jazz about the availability of sharpshooting big man Lauri Markkanen, a 27-year-old All-Star whose contract is up next summer.
In terms of being “strategically aggressive,” as Wright has described the Spurs’ approach to roster building, the team could do worse than Finland’s finest.
The 7-foot Markkanen averaged 24.5 points and 8.4 rebounds in his past two seasons with the Jazz after a forgettable start to his career in Chicago and Cleveland. In addition, Markkanen shot nearly 40% from 3-point range last season.
There is an obvious reason the Spurs would be interested in trading for Markkanen. He seems lab-created to fit in lineups next to Wembanyama.
It is unclear exactly how available Markkanen really is. That is the first rub.
Utah’s own rebuilding project appears at a crossroads.
The Jazz could be buyers this summer and seek another star to pair with Markkanen. Or they could be sellers, looking to get out of the Markkanen business before he is due a hefty contract extension next offseason.
In that case, the Jazz would no doubt be in the market for assets that would help them build for the future. That’s where the Spurs could come in.
According to various league-wide reports, Sacramento, Golden State, New Orleans and Minnesota have also registered interest in exploring a trade for Markkanen.
None of those teams could compete with the Spurs’ war chest of future first-round draft picks, which could make them an attractive trading partner for the Jazz.
Thanks to a bevy of trades beginning with the 2021 sign-and-trade of DeMar DeRozan to Chicago, the Spurs have stockpiled 11 first-round picks between now and 2031, plus four pick-swap opportunities.
The Spurs have also amassed 20 second-round picks in that frame, though those might not move the needle much in exchange for a player of Markkanen’s caliber.
If young players are needed to sweeten the pot for the Jazz, the Spurs have a handful of attractive targets in Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan or, perhaps, Devin Vassell.
The Spurs’ interest in Markkanen is not new.
They inquired about Markkanen’s availability in negotiating that the DeRozan trade with the Bulls in 2021, only to be rebuffed. Chicago instead sent Markkanen to Cleveland as part of a different deal.
If the Jazz decide to make Markkanen available, the biggest remaining hurdle for the Spurs could be price tag.
Utah executive Danny Ainge has burnished a well-earned reputation for driving a hard bargain, dating to his time in Boston.
When it comes to Markkanen, many NBA observers believe Ainge is after a package rivaling what New York surrendered for Mikal Bridges last week.
In that deal, the Knicks sent five first-round picks to Brooklyn for a player who, though solid enough, has never sniffed an All-Star nod.
If the Jazz require a Bridges-like haul for Markkanen, that could be, well, a bridge too far for the Spurs.
In addition, any team that trades for Markkanen now would want assurances he would re-sign when his contract expires. Unlike with All-Star point guard Chris Paul — who agreed to a one-year, $11-million free-agent deal to join the Spurs this week — the club does not view Markkanen as a single-season rental.
If no deal for Markkanen can be reached, expect the Spurs to continue to look for incremental ways to improve the roster throughout what is left of free agency.
It is no secret the Spurs are in the market to upgrade their perimeter shooting, with sharpshooters such as Buddy Hield, Gary Trent Jr., Malik Beasley and Gary Harris remaining on the market.
Markkanen, of course, would fill that need as well.
Time will tell if the Spurs have what it takes to get a deal for Markkanen across the Finnish line.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News