The Chicago Bulls traded Lauri Markkanen to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team deal on Friday, August 27, that sent Larry Nance, Jr., to the Portland Trail Blazers and Derrick Jones, Jr., and two future NBA draft picks to the Bulls.
According to his bio, the Bulls traded Markkanen to the Cavaliers after he played four professional seasons with the team. Markkanen was part of the 2017 NBA draft. He was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the seventh overall pick before being included in a trade to the Chicago Bulls for Jimmy Butler.
Markkanen is also known as the son of Finnish basketball player Pekka and Riikka Markkanen, and the younger brother of footballer Eero Markkanen.
During his 2017–18 rookie season, Markkanen made his NBA debut with the Bulls on October 19, scoring 17 points and five days later set an NBA record on Octo- ber 24, for most 3-pointers in the first three games of an NBA career with ten 3-pointers.
On January 10, 2018, Markka- nen played a career-high 46 minutes, scored a career-high 33 points along with a career-high eight 3- pointers in a double-overtime contest against the Knicks in a 122– 119 win.
This stat made him the second, seven-foot player to make eight three-pointers in a game (the first being Dirk Nowitzki).
Also, as part of the transaction, Chicago will also receive a future protected first-round pick from Portland and a future second- round pick from Cleveland, according to the Bulls.
(4), blocks (3), steals (5) and tied his career-high in 3-pointers made (3) in games throughout last season. The five-year NBA veteran has appeared in a total of 229 games (89 starts) during his time with Portland, the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns, posting averages of 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 20.2 minutes.
Jones (6-5, 210) appeared in 58 games (43 starts) for the Trail Blazers this season, recording averages of 6.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.93 blocks in 22.7 minutes. He set career highs in assists
Jones signed with the Phoenix Suns after going undrafted out of UNLV in the 2016 NBA Draft. Markkanen was the seventh overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and was acquired by Chicago in a draft-night trade. Markkanen posted 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists over 221 games (195 starts).
In addition to Jones and Markkanen, Larry Nance, Jr., will join a strong offensive team in Portland.
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected].
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago.
