Lauri Markkanen Hype & Appreciation Thread

[Saint Cy of JFC]

That's fair, but not at all what happened.

What if I told you that I like basketball, but enjoy when the games are important more than when the result of the game is unimportant. To me, the competition aspect is a big reason why I like basketball. Would you tell me I don't enjoy basketball? That is exactly the dumb conversation that was had lol.

You like the competition aspect, but you dislike the competition aspect of team building? Seemed like you were annoyed that you have to build a team with multiple good moves and things could still not work out.

Then you are saying **** like "diminished quality and/or importance of the basketball being played". Que? IF everyone just hate a good team that could be good forever then things wouldnt matter. Timelines and time constraints are some of the things that give the game stakes.

 

[LogGrad98]

A lot of people mentioning he could be a superstar or whatever, or that he’s on a good trajectory but needs to hit some higher levels. But what if he doesn’t get better but simply maintains? If he just maintains, it’s pretty similar to Dirk numbers.

If he becomes the 2nd option to our next year's first round pick via the Wolves, at #1-3 of course, then we will be stellar and dangerous for years to come. I'll take that.

 

[SteakNEggs]

His ability to get into the lane and finish or hit a step back is very Dirk like. Not saying he's Dirk but I really enjoy that aspect of his game.

 

[KqWIN]

A lot of people mentioning he could be a superstar or whatever, or that he’s on a good trajectory but needs to hit some higher levels. But what if he doesn’t get better but simply maintains? If he just maintains, it’s pretty similar to Dirk numbers.

He's a different type of player in a different type of era, but he's still damn good. If he can maintain this he's absolutely an all star level player. I just don't think he is or ever will be an elite offensive engine that generates a ton of offense for himself and others. The "finnisher" is a great nickname because he's also one of the best play finishers in the league.

 

[KqWIN]

You like the competition aspect, but you dislike the competition aspect of team building? Seemed like you were annoyed that you have to build a team with multiple good moves and things could still not work out.

Then you are saying **** like "diminished quality and/or importance of the basketball being played". Que? IF everyone just hate a good team that could be good for ever then things wouldnt matter. Timelines and time constraints are some of the things that give the game stakes.

I'm talking about the day to day product of the NBA, aka the regular season. It has been greatly deemphasized in recent years. The NBA is not about night to night competition. The league is way tilted towards bigger picture stuff like championship or bust and the regular season is just an afterthought. When it doesn't matter if you win or lose (or it's more important to lose) it's just a less compelling league for me personally. Others have stated that they enjoy watching a game without the stress of winning or losing. To each their own. People can enjoy basketball for many different reasons. I was digging in spreadsheets to figure out how we could maybe skirt the tax by getting Udoka to sign for a smaller portion of his rookie scale. I can definitely get into the weeds of team building, but I think the NBA has lost something with the deemphasis on the basketball being played every night. This is why I am a huge proponent of new ideas to make the RS more competitive.

And just so you know, when I mean competitive I don't mean every team has a great team and can win the whole thing at any time. I just mean that that the games being played each night matter. There are other leagues where from top to bottom, every game matters significantly for each team.

I also wouldn't say the tank race is a compelling, competitive aspect of team building. You get rewarded for being non-competitive on the court and I do appreciate other sports leagues and structures where losing is never a benefit. The concept of Lauri Markannen's breakout being at odds with the future of the team just wouldn't exist in other sports leagues. In the NBA, there's a legitimate thought or discussion to be had about it even if you disagree. I don't even think tanking is nearly as effective as people make it out to be, but it is a legitimate perspective and thought.

 

[fishonjazz]

Weren't we thinking Sexton was the larger (player) acquisition in the trade?

Yes.
If markennen didn't turn into the best player in the nba then the tank would have been on. Almost no one saw this coming.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Yes.
If markennen didn't turn into the best player in the nba then the tank would have been on. Almost no one saw this coming.

Danny did. Not quite to this extent, maybe, but IMO he was always mainly trading for Lauri.

Markkanen was an elite asset already at Cleveland.
- Multiyear, very team-friendly deal
- Finished the season with the 2nd highest net rating on the team, after Garland
- Averaged 15pts and 6rbs while playing as a 3rd/4th option on offense and never needing the ball

Ainge saw Lauri was ready for a bigger role.

Sexton was more of a rehabilitation project who Ainge probably thought he'd turn into more picks later on. Collin had lost his role as the "franchise guy" of the then-tanking Cavs, was coming off a serious knee injury and seemed to have to market whatsoever when the Cavs made him available.

 

[Agent#00]

This is an interesting comparison:

View attachment 13647

Strikingly similar, except Lauri is way more efficient. Mitchell is averaging over 36 mpg and Lauri just under, so when adjusted for per36 they come pretty close together. And if we keep feeding Lauri he could be every bit the scorer that Mitchell is. He has a huge advantage as a 7-footer who can do what he can do on offense. Not a lot of player will match up well to defend Lauri. Damn he is going to be all-NBA good in a couple of years.

Tbh I don't really miss DM even if he scored 71. We have a guy who is capable of doing that and offers more. Lauri is special. He scored 49 but didn't feel like he ballhog all game.

 

[prodigy]

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/prodigyJF/status/1611529841622540289

 

[fishonjazz]

Danny did. Not quite to this extent, maybe, but IMO he was always mainly trading for Lauri.

Markkanen was an elite asset already at Cleveland.
- Multiyear, very team-friendly deal
- Finished the season with the 2nd highest net rating on the team, after Garland
- Averaged 15pts and 6rbs while playing as a 3rd/4th option on offense and never needing the ball

Ainge saw Lauri was ready for a bigger role.

Sexton was more of a rehabilitation project who Ainge probably thought he'd turn into more picks later on. Collin had lost his role as the "franchise guy" of the then-tanking Cavs, was coming off a serious knee injury and seemed to have to market whatsoever when the Cavs made him available.

Weird that we were even thinking about trading with the Knicks if Danny knew superstar Markennan was available the whole time. Hell, should have made the trade for Markennan right from the start when we traded Rudy!

 

[fishonjazz]

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/prodigyJF/status/1611529841622540289

What a great video. Shows his entire bag of tricks.
My favorite is at the 1:10 mark.

 

[fishonjazz]

Also, if Ainge had any inkling that Markennan was anywhere close to this special then he probably should not have gutted the roster. Probably should have kept bogey and Gobert or Donovan or at least traded one of those two for win now pieces. We could be a contender this very year if Ainge knew how good Markennan could be and would have made other moves accordingly.

 

[Jingled]

Also, if Ainge had any inkling that Markennan was anywhere close to this special then he probably should not have gutted the roster. Probably should have kept bogey and Gobert or Donovan or at least traded one of those two for win now pieces. We could be a contender this very year if Ainge knew how good Markennan could be and would have made other moves accordingly.

I'm sure Ainge saw potential in Lauri and thought his upside was higher than what he'd shown so far in his career with the Bulls and Cavs, but there is no way in hell he could've known that Lauri would be THIS good. No one could've seen this type of a breakout coming.

 

[Eddie Zero]

I'm sure Ainge saw potential in Lauri and thought his upside was higher than what he'd shown so far in career with the Bulls and Cavs, but there is no way in hell he could've know that Lauri would be THIS good. No one could've seen this type of a breakout coming.

I don't agree that Danny didn't. he saw the same thing with the Finnisher this summer that he is doing now. Cleveland knew what he was doing also, and used it as a major selling point to get Spida.
Granted most of us didn't notice, his offseason level of play, and I myself figured he would be the 2nd option here even after a couple months of his hot start. I am starting now to think he could be a first option on a contender if he continues to advance his overall game. His playmaking doesn't need to get better in that role so much, but when teams only have to focus on slowing him down, he should be able to make plays for others to get to an elite 1st opton level.
I think the crazy thing here, regarding trade value, is Sexton is hurt and has never truly returned to form yet. If we can get even an occasional outing from him as a bench scorer, like his beat down on the Nets big 3 debut game with Harden, he was more than his contract in that role.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I don't agree that Danny didn't. he saw the same thing with the Finnisher this summer that he is doing now. Cleveland knew what he was doing also, and used it as a major selling point to get Spida.
Granted most of us didn't notice, his offseason level of play, and I myself figured he would be the 2nd option here even after a couple months of his hot start. I am starting now to think he could be a first option on a contender if he continues to advance his overall game. His playmaking doesn't need to get better in that role so much, but when teams only have to focus on slowing him down, he should be able to make plays for others to get to an elite 1st opton level.
I think the crazy thing here, regarding trade value, is Sexton is hurt and has never truly returned to form yet. If we can get even an occasional outing from him as a bench scorer, like his beat down on the Nets big 3 debut game with Harden, he was more than his contract in that role.

Dude… Markkanen didn’t play a single EuroBasket game until after he was traded.

 

[fishonjazz]

I'm sure Ainge saw potential in Lauri and thought his upside was higher than what he'd shown so far in career with the Bulls and Cavs, but there is no way in hell he could've know that Lauri would be THIS good. No one could've seen this type of a breakout coming.

Agreed


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[Step-Back Hook]

Weird that we were even thinking about trading with the Knicks if Danny knew superstar Markennan was available the whole time. Hell, should have made the trade for Markennan right from the start when we traded Rudy!

IMO First time anyone could have seen even somewhere close to this to be coming was Eurobasket. It's not the NBA and Lauri is not doing all the things he did there. But as lot of int. NBA stars have been telling for some time it's actually sometimes easier to score in the NBA with rules favoring offense and more space inside the arc. He had few games against solid teams with some nba talent in the tournament and averaged 27 a game. I think that's when Danny decided Mitchell is not going anywhere if Cavs is not giving him Lauri.

 

[infection]

Also, if Ainge had any inkling that Markennan was anywhere close to this special then he probably should not have gutted the roster. Probably should have kept bogey and Gobert or Donovan or at least traded one of those two for win now pieces. We could be a contender this very year if Ainge knew how good Markennan could be and would have made other moves accordingly.

I believe there will always be some “Juancho is the guy we were really targeting the whole time” type vibes.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I'm sure Ainge saw potential in Lauri and thought his upside was higher than what he'd shown so far in career with the Bulls and Cavs, but there is no way in hell he could've know that Lauri would be THIS good. No one could've seen this type of a breakout coming.

This is the correct answer. Now after his EuroBasket games we were all buzzing about how good he could be.

 

[fishonjazz]

Dude… Markkanen didn’t play a single EuroBasket game until after he was traded.

Plus if cleveland saw this level of play coming from markennan then they wouldnt have included a bunch of picks and sexton and ochai in the deal.
Hell they probably would have kept markennan and gave us garland or mobley or something instead.

Lauri would look pretty sweet with donovan.

Also how dumb would ainge have had to be if he knew how good Lauri would be and waited so long into the off season to acquire him along with everything else we got.
What if a different team would have known that lauri was available for trade and swooped in and got to him first? That would have sucked.


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