Report: Lauri Markkanen may need to serve in the Finnish military

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lauri Markkanen reportedly was included in the Finnish Defense Forces Sports School list.

Essentially, this means that the Cavaliers forward may need to serve in the Finnish military, according to BasketNews.com.

“In general, men in Finland have to go through military service by the age of 28,” BasketNews.com wrote. “Professional athletes are designated to serve in a special ‘Sports School’ unit that is meant to help athletes train while completing their military service.

“The military service is supposed to start on April 11th, 2022, one day after the NBA regular season ends. The shortest military service to be fulfilled for an athlete is 165 days. It is currently unclear how Markkanen will complete his obligation to the country or if he will serve in the military at all.”

With the Cleveland Cavaliers currently hanging on to the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, the last thing the team needs is to lose Markkanen for a potential playoff run because he has to complete his service in the Finnish military.

It’s possible that the big man could avoid the service altogether, but that remains to be seen.

The Cavaliers acquired Markkanen in a sign-and-trade this past offseason. He has become a major part of the team’s rotation, as he currently plays 31.8 minutes per game.

On the season, Markkanen is averaging 14.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.

He has helped lead Cleveland to a 13-12 record and will face his former team, the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.