Few teams have kept a closer eye on EuroBasket preparation games than the Los Angeles Lakers. Franchise player Luka Doncic is back on the court with Slovenia, showcasing the improved fitness and conditioning that has fans around the NBA on the edge of their seats.
For as important as it may be to monitor [the progress Doncic is making](https://lakeshowlife.com/luka-doncic-immediately-validates-everyone-been-saying-offseason), the Lakers must not get too caught up in the EuroBasket success of another NBA player: Lauri Markkanen.
Markkanen is in the midst of a brilliant stretch of play. He's taken over for Finland, starting with a dominant 48-point showing against Belgium during which he reminded the Utah Jazz and those around the Association of why he was an All-Star in 2022-23.
A game later, Markkanen went off to the tune of 31 points and officially set the stage for a summer showing that could propel him back into his residency on the rumor mill.
Since winning the NBA's Most Improved Player award in 2022-23, Markkanen has been linked to virtually every championship hopeful in trade rumors. It's easy to understand why, as he's a 7'0" sharpshooter who has averaged as many as 25.6 points per game.
For as intriguing as it may be to ponder how Doncic and Markkanen might excel as teammates, the Lakers must steer clear of a potential trade.
Lakers can't afford to buy the Lauri Markkanen hype
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Markkanen is a tremendous talent, combining size and shooting ability in a truly unique way. With this in mind, it's easy to envision a scenario in which he and Doncic are pick-and-popping teams to the point that defenses are left with no answer whatsoever for their dynamic partnership.
Unfortunately, there's more to consider than what transpires on the court when it comes to pairing Doncic with Markkanen.
Markkanen, 28, is coming off of a season in which he missed 35 games. That could be overlooked if it were a rare outcome, but Markkanen was absent from 27 outings during the 2023-24 season—thus revealing the latest stages of a career-long trend.
Markkanen has missed at least 21 games in five of the past seven seasons, and has never played more than 68 in a single campaign.
Furthermore, 2025-26 will mark the first season of Markkanen's new four-year contract—priced at just under $196 million. As such, the Lakers wouldn't be able to simply bring a new star in and take a calculated risk on their past injury issues being resolved.
Los Angeles would be tying Doncic's future directly to Markkanen's health and quality on the court due to the long-term and lucrative nature of his contract.
Rather than gambling on Markkanen staying healthy and returning to an All-Star level, the Lakers need to place safer bets. [There's enough uncertainty already](https://lakeshowlife.com/lakers-ultimate-x-factor-last-line-defense-history-repeating), with LeBron James' unknown date of retirement and the 2026 free agency eligibility of Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves looming large.
Markkanen's talent is worth considering, but the Lakers can't afford to believe the EuroBasket hype with the Doncic era only just beginning.