Lauri Markkanen described his emotions over the last two days as “wild.”
It’s not like NBA players aren’t anticipating the trade deadline and it’s not like they don’t know what it’s like to lose teammates in trades. Markkanen has been traded three times himself and the Utah Jazz went through similar retooling last season. But that doesn’t make it any easier.
“It’s part of the business and you go through it every year,” Markkanen said. “But I don’t think you get used to it. You’re good friends with those guys, and you obviously want the best for them and for their careers, but at the same time you want to spend as much time with them as possible.”
On Wednesday the Jazz traded Simone Fontecchio to the Detroit Pistons and Thursday they moved Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji to the Toronto Raptors.
It’s not always the in-game moments that hit the hardest when players are traded. Of course the Jazz players saw different lineups on Thursday night against the Phoenix Suns and recognized that three of their rotational players are no longer around.