I don't think he cares about the money to that extent. His next deal will be huge regardless where it's coming from.
The fact remains that the clock is ticking for Lauri and he knows it. He's not 22, he'll be 26 in a few months. That means he's smack in the middle of his prime, and he won't want to spend it losing night after night on a rebuilding team.
Sure he said he's happy in Utah, but that came from playing meaningful games in a role that suited him. And winning. When you take away the winning and throw him out there with some dudes who see a tank job as a fantastic opportunity to improve their own scoring averages, it could get ugly fast. He's seen it before, remember.
A lot hinges on next offseason. The Jazz most likely won't be drafting a guy who will make an immediate impact in the wins column, so this looks like a multiyear stretch of sucking unless DA can lure in some free agents who can actually play. Not holding my breath, particularly if they decide to keep Clarkson.
If next season starts with no real hope in the horizon, I fully expect Lauri to be traded for a younger talent, leading to even more losing down the road.
Sure it all sounds depressing, but that's tanking for you. It is what it is. Markkanen's timeline was perfect for a team that looked like it was going for the playoffs. It's terrible for a team that's starting a tank.
Jazz fans should take a long look at the Houston Rockets, because that's our future. Enjoy!