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The player who should miss the playoffs because … of his military service!

It is sometimes forgotten, but international players sometimes have somewhat unique obligations in their country. In this case, an interior could well miss the playoffs this year… because it must be used in the army! Difficult to refuse such a request …

Making his NBA debut at the Bulls in the late 2010s was not easy, but that’s exactly what Lauri Markkanen must have experienced after her draft in 2017. Author of two very promising first seasons, the Finn then began to lose ground, between playing time in free fall, repeated injuries and mistakes in coaching. Enough to make him fall almost into anonymity in Windy City, before being sent to the Cavaliers last summer.

However, the boy is currently living again in Ohio, he who has recovered his titular status there. Admittedly, his production is not delusional (14.6 points and 6 rebounds on average), but it remains better than last year. In its wake, Cleveland also achieves a rather surprising start to the campaign. With 14 wins for 12 losses, JB Bickerstaff’s men are simply in 7th position in the East, ahead of the Hawks or the Knicks for example.

Lauri Markkanen to serve in the military from April 2022

Suddenly, it’s a whole State that begins to dream of the playoffs, whose franchise has been absent since the departure of LeBron James in 2018. However, if this were to take place, it may be necessary to do without the interior… Indeed, as the site reveals BasketNews.com, Markkanen is obliged to perform military service for his country. And the latter would take place precisely when the post-season begins:

In general, in Finland, men must complete their military service before the age of 28. Professional athletes are assigned to serve in a special “sports school” unit, designed to help athletes train while performing military service.

Military service is scheduled to begin on April 11, 2022, one day after the end of the NBA regular season. The shortest military service for an athlete is 165 days. It is not yet clear how Markkanen will fulfill his obligations to the country or if he will serve in the military.

In fact, nothing tells us that the Cavs will actually participate in the playoffs. After all, they also had a good start last year, before collapsing completely in mid-January, finishing once again in the eastern slums. But if there was to be any surprise, then he’s a key player in the squad that they could miss as they head into the playoffs. A hell of a puzzle for the player, who will probably have to choose between his profession and his country.

This is a situation that few players are faced with. David Robinson had done his military service before joining the league in the 1980s, but it was there by choice. Here, not sure that Lauri Markkanen has one … and that bothers Cleveland.

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