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Lauri Markkanen Hype & Appreciation Thread

hzg511 said:
+ Kessler is a perfect fit from the current roster. 2/5 already nailed.
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I disagree. Love Kessler, but until he learns to shoot a bit, he's not the perfect fit for a scorer who cuts a lot and is most effective in a spaced interior. Lauri is constantly facing at least two defenders near the basket when he curls in from the wing and receives the ball. Teams know Kessler can't do anything when he's more than 10 feet from the rim and they just cheat off him. Sometimes it leads to an alley-oop for Walker, but that's a tradeoff teams seem to be pretty happy with.

I also think Lauri needs to diversify his offensive arsenal in those situations. I know he wants to get to the FT line so he just puts his head down and goes for the contact, but why not rise up for an easy pull-up jumper just inside the FT line? That shot is automatic for Durant and IMO Lauri has the same type of potential. When there's a couple of bouncy, long defenders waiting for him at the rim, it doesn't make much sense to just play into their hands.
 
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Contrary to popular belief of Finnish fans on here, I think Lauri absolutely has a legit shot at making an All-NBA team.
 
Elizah Huge said:
Contrary to popular belief of Finnish fans on here, I think Lauri absolutely has a legit shot at making an All-NBA team.
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I said at the trade deadline that he should make it if he keeps up the pace and he has.

Are the voters still rigorous about C&F designations?
 
Bawse Dawg said:
What is the ideal player or kind of player to be Lauri's running mate?
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Offensively Trae Young. However, as a disclaimer, I dont want the actual Trae Young, but someone with his offensive toolkit would be perfect.

Good shooter, lob passer and PnR ball handler who is also a driving threat, draws defenses eyes and is also savvy enough to punish with drive and kick if they collapse on him.

Would also benefit Kessler offensively.
 
Maybe Raul Lopez was born 20 years too early and couple be a budget Trae Young.
 
Lauri is damn popular here in these parts of Finland. Apparently also in Utah, around some salty lake.

That one bad game was long over due, but same time I almost think it was "ordered" by coaching staff, to see.

Regardless, enough well played to get a NBA pass. Overall.

LOL.
 
ONE LOVE said:
So, is anyone still doubting that he can be a Number 1 option on a Championship winning team?
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I was just listening to Tim MacMahon and Spence Checketts discuss whether or not he's a number 2 option on championship team, they didn't even discuss the possibility that he could develop into a number 1 on a championship team and didn't even seem totally convinced that he's a number 2. I also see fans on twitter frequently discussing whether he's a 2nd or 3rd option on a contending team.

I guess I'm missing something. To me he's a surefire 2nd option on a championship level team, and I'm still not completely convinced that he can't be a number 1 if he continues to develop and the Jazz put the right pieces around him.
 
Jingled said:
I was just listening to Tim MacMahon and Spence Checketts discuss whether or not he's a number 2 option on championship team, they didn't even discuss the possibility that he could develop into a number 1 on a championship team and didn't even seem totally convinced that he's a number 2. I also see fans on twitter frequently discussing whether he's a 2nd or 3rd option on a contending team.

I guess I'm missing something. To me he's a surefire 2nd option on a championship level team, and I'm still not completely convinced that he can't be a number 1 if he continues to develop and the Jazz put the right pieces around him.
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It’s going to be hilarious when he averages 30 PPG next year.
 
Jingled said:
I was just listening to Tim MacMahon and Spence Checketts discuss whether or not he's a number 2 option on championship team, they didn't even discuss the possibility that he could develop into a number 1 on a championship team and didn't even seem totally convinced that he's a number 2. I also see fans on twitter frequently discussing whether he's a 2nd or 3rd option on a contending team.

I guess I'm missing something. To me he's a surefire 2nd option on a championship level team, and I'm still not completely convinced that he can't be a number 1 if he continues to develop and the Jazz put the right pieces around him.
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I guess it's mostly his demeanor and playing style. He doesn't seem like a leader type. Not everyone has that personality trait no matter how good they are, and that's ok. Lauri does his job, never gets too high or too low, but he's not someone who "rallies the troops".

Also, off ball players are always doubted in the NBA. Reggie Miller was a tier below the other superstars of his era in the public perception because he depended on his teammates to get him open and get him the ball. Someone like Jordan bent the game into his will.

As long as Lauri is a guy who can be contained by keeping him away from the ball, he won't be seen as a true top 2 option on a championship team. That's just how it is. It may not be "fair", but when the stakes are the highest, basketball sometimes turns into a very simple game. Can you create something out of nothing with the ball in your hands or not?

Right now, that's the biggest piece missing from Lauri's game.
 
Jingled said:
I was just listening to Tim MacMahon and Spence Checketts discuss whether or not he's a number 2 option on championship team, they didn't even discuss the possibility that he could develop into a number 1 on a championship team and didn't even seem totally convinced that he's a number 2. I also see fans on twitter frequently discussing whether he's a 2nd or 3rd option on a contending team.

I guess I'm missing something. To me he's a surefire 2nd option on a championship level team, and I'm still not completely convinced that he can't be a number 1 if he continues to develop and the Jazz put the right pieces around him.
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I think a lot of it is bc his season has been... a fast forward from a former role player type to first being #2 behind JC what comes to closing games. Then the ASG selection and just last month or two we have tried to coach him to be the #1. Lot of analysts need a more games where he goes closing them and gets success from them. Right now it seems so obvious once we get first Sexton and/or JC back and add more from draft or other routes... Lauri will have much more shooting around him and his life gets much easier again.
 
Step-Back Hook said:
I think a lot of it is bc his season has been... a fast forward from a former role player type to first being #2 behind JC what comes to closing games. Then the ASG selection and just last month or two we have tried to coach him to be the #1. Lot of analysts need a more games where he goes closing them and gets success from them. Right now it seems so obvious once we get first Sexton and/or JC back and add more from draft or other routes... Lauri will have much more shooting around him and his life gets much easier again.
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What has been a pleasant surprise is that he is still scoring and with good efficiency while those scorers are out. Was not expecting that when other teams can fixate on him.
 
Jingled said:
I was just listening to Tim MacMahon and Spence Checketts discuss whether or not he's a number 2 option on championship team, they didn't even discuss the possibility that he could develop into a number 1 on a championship team and didn't even seem totally convinced that he's a number 2. I also see fans on twitter frequently discussing whether he's a 2nd or 3rd option on a contending team.

I guess I'm missing something. To me he's a surefire 2nd option on a championship level team, and I'm still not completely convinced that he can't be a number 1 if he continues to develop and the Jazz put the right pieces around him.
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I think creating and scoring from scratch is a worthy required attribute to be considered a legit #1 option on a contender and I don't think Lauri is there. But it's not like he's a lightyear off and you could do worse with your #2 option than an athletic 7 footer that leads the league in thrunks by a healthy margin (my term for threes or dunks) and scores >25 ppg on >.65 TS% (a VERY small group of players have EVER done this). Most players have comps of some variety and after this season I do not know who Lauri's is.

I don't think coming out of this season with an ELITE secondary option was on anyone's bingo card so that's great. Maybe he can develop more on-ball in the next couple of seasons.
 
Step-Back Hook said:
I think a lot of it is bc his season has been... a fast forward from a former role player type to first being #2 behind JC what comes to closing games. Then the ASG selection and just last month or two we have tried to coach him to be the #1. Lot of analysts need a more games where he goes closing them and gets success from them. Right now it seems so obvious once we get first Sexton and/or JC back and add more from draft or other routes... Lauri will have much more shooting around him and his life gets much easier again.
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It just seems crazy to me that some question whether or not he can even be a number 2 option on a championship level team. This season he's averaging 25.5 points a game while shooting 50% from the field, 40% from 3 and 65TS%. He's the focal point of every teams scouting report, and he's still putting up huge numbers on crazy good efficiency. Imagine if he had another star to play with and take some of the defensive pressure off of him.
 
NUMBERICA said:
I think creating and scoring from scratch is a worthy required attribute to be considered a legit #1 option on a contender and I don't think Lauri is there. But it's not like he's a lightyear off and you could do worse with your #2 option than an athletic 7 footer that leads the league in thrunks by a healthy margin (my term for threes or dunks) and scores >25 ppg on >.65 TS% (a VERY small group of players have EVER done this). Most players have comps of some variety and after this season I do not know who Lauri's is.

I don't think coming out of this season with an ELITE secondary option was on anyone's bingo card so that's great. Maybe he can develop more on-ball in the next couple of seasons.
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Exactly. The debate about whether he's a 1st or second option on a contender is fair, but debating whether he's a 2nd or 3rd option is borderline disrespectful at this point.
 
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