Jamal Murray vs Lauri Markkanen: who to draft in 2026-27
Draft Jamal Murray in points leagues (42.9 fantasy points a game to 41.2) and Lauri Markkanen in 9-cat leagues (8th against 9th). The two go close together on our board, which is our own ranking order from 2025-26 box scores, not ADP.
- Points leagues
- #16
- 42.9 FP/G, slot 2.04, $30
- 9-cat leagues
- #9
- +3.9 z, slot 1.09, $37
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #23
- 41.2 FP/G, slot 2.11, $28
- 9-cat leagues
- #8
- +4.2 z, slot 1.08, $38
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: draft Jamal Murray. 42.9 fantasy points per game against 41.2, 16th on our board to 23rd.
9-cat leagues: Lauri Markkanen instead, +4.2 in summed z-scores against +3.9 (8th to 9th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Jamal Murray is ahead in 3 (AST, 3PM and FG%) and Lauri Markkanen in 6 (PTS, REB, STL, BLK, FT% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Jamal Murray produces more: 43.7 fantasy points to 43.1, on 35.4 minutes a night against 34.4. He already plays as much or more, so the gap is not a role waiting to grow.
Jamal Murray plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Lauri Markkanen 3. For that week alone, start Lauri Markkanen: 123.5 projected fantasy points to 85.8 for Jamal Murray.
Slots are where our board's order lands in a 12-team snake draft (round.pick), and dollars are auction value over replacement for 12 teams with $200 each. Neither is ADP: no free draft-position feed lets us republish it.
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Jamal Murray | Lauri Markkanen |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 42.9 | 41.2 |
| Minutes | 35.4 | 34.4 |
| PointsPTS | 25.4 | 26.7 |
| ReboundsREB | 4.4 | 6.9 |
| AssistsAST | 7.1 | 2.1 |
| StealsSTL | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Threes3PM | 3.3 | 2.7 |
| Field goal %FG% | 48.3% | 47.7% |
| Free throw %FT% | 88.7% | 89.6% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.3 | 1.5 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 75 | 42 |
Bold is the better number. The line blends 2025-26 with 2026-27 games as they are played, the same numbers the rankings use.
Per 36 minutes
| Per 36 | Jamal Murray | Lauri Markkanen |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 43.7 | 43.1 |
| Points | 25.9 | 28.0 |
| Rebounds | 4.5 | 7.2 |
| Assists | 7.3 | 2.2 |
| Steals | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| Blocks | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Threes | 3.3 | 2.9 |
| Turnovers | 2.3 | 1.6 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
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9-category z-scores
| Category | Jamal Murray | Lauri Markkanen |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +1.5 | +1.8 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.7 | +0.5 |
| AssistsAST | +1.7 | -0.8 |
| StealsSTL | -0.4 | -0.1 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.6 | -0.4 |
| Threes3PM | +1.6 | +1.1 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.1 | -0.3 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +1.4 | +1.9 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.5 | +0.5 |
| Total | +3.9 | +4.2 |
Each number is standard deviations above or below the top 156 players (a 12-team league's rosters). Field goal and free throw percentage are weighted by attempts, and turnovers count against.
If you punt a category
Punting points, rebounds, steals, blocks, free throw percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Jamal Murray.
| Punt | Jamal Murray | Lauri Markkanen |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +2.4 (#11) | +2.3 (#12) |
| REB | +4.8 (#9) | +3.8 (#11) |
| AST | +2.1 (#23) | +4.8 (#6) |
| STL | +4.3 (#6) | +4.2 (#8) |
| BLK | +4.8 (#8) | +4.6 (#9) |
| 3PM | +2.1 (#23) | +2.8 (#15) |
| FG% | +4.6 (#11) | +5.0 (#8) |
| FT% | +2.4 (#21) | +2.1 (#23) |
| TO | +4.6 (#16) | +3.8 (#19) |
Value is the sum of the other eight z-scores, recomputed with the punted category left out of the pool that sets them; the rank is among all 406 ranked players.
Week 1 (Oct 19-25)
- Jamal Murray: 2 games (Thu @OKC, Sat NOP).
- Lauri Markkanen: 3 games (Wed @MEM, Fri NOP, Sun LAL).
Recent games
- Jamal Murray: 44.9 fantasy points a game over his last 10 of 2025-26, against 42.9 on the board.
- Lauri Markkanen: 36.9 fantasy points a game over his last 10 of 2025-26, against 41.2 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Common questions
Should I draft Jamal Murray or Lauri Markkanen in 2026-27?
Points leagues: draft Jamal Murray. 42.9 fantasy points per game against 41.2, 16th on our board to 23rd. 9-cat leagues: Lauri Markkanen instead, +4.2 in summed z-scores against +3.9 (8th to 9th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Jamal Murray or Lauri Markkanen?
Category by category, Jamal Murray is ahead in 3 (AST, 3PM and FG%) and Lauri Markkanen in 6 (PTS, REB, STL, BLK, FT% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 1, Jamal Murray or Lauri Markkanen?
Jamal Murray plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Lauri Markkanen 3. For that week alone, start Lauri Markkanen: 123.5 projected fantasy points to 85.8 for Jamal Murray.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 13, 2026 at 5:20 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number