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Off-Season Rumblings

Ferguson_Mellochill said:
I like the possibility of Brice coming back as a sophomore with a full healthy summer of work. He didn't have it last year.
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You can add Taylor to that as well. Having a full summer league of practices and play to go with a healthy summer could be big for those two.
 
Elizah Huge said:
That’s just not true at all but ok.
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OK, lets dig in the data to put away our biases. The nba.com gives the following list 7-footers who played>30 games at 10 MPG+ in 23/24: Wembanyama, Porzingis, Brook Lopez, Holmgren, Lively, Kornet, Ayton, Gobert, Hartenstein, Zubac, Poeltl, Embiid, Nurkic, Hayes, KAT, Markkanen, Mitchel Robinson, Queta, Mo Bamba, Kessler, Aldama, Nick Richards, 22 overall.

Now, according to basketballreference.com, Markkanen is the last, 13 out of 13 listed in DBPM (they have a high minute cutoff for these rankings). Also, Markkanen is listed there as 167 out of 185 total, he is surrounded mostly by offensive guards out there.

Now, lets look at the defensive estimated plus-minus at dunksandthrees.com: Markkanen is 20 out 22, with only Kornet and Nick Richards placing below him. Such defensive powerhouses as Lamelo, Duncan Robinson and the current version of Joe Ingles scored above him on D-EPM.

In short, different advanced defensive metrics list Markkanen as one of the very worst 7-footers getting consistent minutes. And the eye test is certainly confirming that.
 
@homeytennis "I think the Jazz will surprise this season. Remember Lauri was injured twice this past season thanks to Hardy being a dumb @#$#. Kessler battled the injury bug. Key, Tay Henny and Brice might surprise. Collins will be better and Clarkson or his replacement can't be as bad as last year's Clarkson. Add the No. 10 pick with the other two picks and there should be more talent next year than last year. I'm counting that we have seen the last of THT, Luka and Kira Lewis."

I get ya, but it is worth remembering that last year's injury bug isn't an isolated issue for Lauri. He has hit the 65-game award threshold only twice in 7 years, with those being 66 and 68 games respectively. He sat out more games than he probably needed the least two years to help the tank, but banking on 82 games from Lauri isn't a great bet
 
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homeytennis said:
I think the Jazz will surprise this season.
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This is the requisite statement from every Jazz offseason in the last 5 years, with the Jazz predictably surprising first with first-round exits and, lately, with finishing deep in the lottery (but not deep enough to draft anyone meaningful).
 
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