Lauri Markkanen - Utahin Marsalkka: All-NBA Snub

[PIP]

We have all the rewards.

Leadership Pickles & Dancing Bananas

I’d just like to point out (like Issac) always been a team Lauri guy…. The hate he was getting was unwarranted… We needed to be a united front on this forum and channel all of our vitriol and internet bullying towards Dylan Windler….

 

[Tlyons]

It will be interesting to see what the Jazz construct around him.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

On behalf of NATO, I did not think I might live to see the day Finland would join NATO.

And I am so very happy Finland is now with official allies with the US.

No nation could ever ask for a better ally and friend! Welcome!

The nation whose greatest son literally blew smoke in Hitler's face is one that we can count on to the very end. @The Human Q-Tip

Now we just have to get Sweden in, though for sentimental reasons, part of me wishes that they maintain their neutrality so that Bernadotte's dream can continue to live.

Cigars for all!

I personally never had the honor of training with the Finns, but friends of mine who did had nothing but the highest praise. Absolute masters of winter warfare.

@Swuul

 

[Dr No]

It will be interesting to see what the Jazz construct around him.

They won’t build around him. I don’t think anyone sees him as the best player on a championship level team, but he could be a key contributor to a championship level team. So, the Jazz will be hunting a franchise level star with their many 1st round picks. If that player fits with Laurie, then he will stay in Utah. If not, don’t be surprised if he gets traded again as the key piece to bring that player to Utah.

 

[Step-Back Hook]

They won’t build around him. I don’t think anyone sees him as the best player on a championship level team, but he could be a key contributor to a championship level team. So, the Jazz will be hunting a franchise level star with their many 1st round picks. If that player fits with Laurie, then he will stay in Utah. If not, don’t be surprised if he gets traded again as the key piece to bring that player to Utah.

Becoming season will show more. After all, even he was in a 3pt shooting slump his last two months, he averaged good numbers and got to the line quite well. His efficiency took a big hit bc half of his shots are threes. On becoming season he told one of his main focus is more ball handling. That is literally the one thing that differs him from clear #1. Heck - he had to work last month or more this season with mostly bench level talent - after their trade and Sexton and JC sitting out for injuries. That team went from one of the most well spaced teams to one of the worst and Lauri still got good numbers inside the arc. He got bodied and hit and tackled but kept grinding. He carried their team as much he can and the sole presence of him with all the double teams makes things so much easier for his team mates. His passing got gradually a bit better but thats one thing also needing more work to be a bonafide #1.

 

[Step-Back Hook]

Call me when he scores 40+ in an NBA game.

RING RING

 

[JayP146]

RING RING

 

[cavsfever]

They won’t build around him. I don’t think anyone sees him as the best player on a championship level team, but he could be a key contributor to a championship level team. So, the Jazz will be hunting a franchise level star with their many 1st round picks. If that player fits with Laurie, then he will stay in Utah. If not, don’t be surprised if he gets traded again as the key piece to bring that player to Utah.

He’s a great player to build around. He has an extremely high efficiency and a relatively low usage for his level of scoring. He scored over 25 ppg while being something like 40th in the NBA in usage rating. That makes him a great match with a high usage star. He’s a rare player who you can slot into a team with an alpha star or with other stars and who can be expected to score a lot without needing to dominate the ball. He’s a great building block for a championship level team. Rare opportunity to have a player like him.

 

[Dr No]

He’s a great player to build around. He has an extremely high efficiency and a relatively low usage for his level of scoring. He scored over 25 ppg while being something like 40th in the NBA in usage rating. That makes him a great match with a high usage star. He’s a rare player who you can slot into a team with an alpha star or with other stars and who can be expected to score a lot without needing to dominate the ball. He’s a great building block for a championship level team. Rare opportunity to have a player like him.

you are pretty much agreeing with what I'm saying without saying you agree. I said he is a complimentary piece. You said he pairs well with an alpha star. Either way you say it, he's not the key piece you build around. The alpha is.

 

[cavsfever]

He's a fantastic candidate for the second best player on a championship team and such players are just as indispensable in their way -- teams spend years searching for them and often lose their alpha because they can't find them.

Obviously Utah is going to try to get another even better star if they can.

 

[Ethan]

He’s a great player to build around. He has an extremely high efficiency and a relatively low usage for his level of scoring. He scored over 25 ppg while being something like 40th in the NBA in usage rating. That makes him a great match with a high usage star. He’s a rare player who you can slot into a team with an alpha star or with other stars and who can be expected to score a lot without needing to dominate the ball. He’s a great building block for a championship level team. Rare opportunity to have a player like him.

Lauri is a great 2-3 option, but he's not someone to specifically build a team around.
He is not a playmaker. Career average 1.4 assists. That means no vision.
He is great at attacking and scoring but also a black hole as the #1 option.
Call me when he averages 25pts and 4+ assists.

(A natural scorer breaks out and scores in bunches on a crappy team.)
How many times have we seen this movie before?

All that said, I wish we still had Lauri. He was the perfect SF for us.

 

[cavsfever]

I agree he's not an alpha best player on a championship team. But he strikes me as a great sidekick.

 

[Benway]

"Marco" Rubio, nice!

 

[Sebastian]

 

[Kepler]

Should've kept Lauri instead of Jarrett Allen