Are we not getting enough leadership from Markkanen?

[Step-Back Lauri]

Tonight, game against Kings was again prime example how jazz guards can go on blindfold mode, and forget there is bigs on court that have shown scoring chops. The opponent is missing their best big in Sabonis, and we all see, Clarkson in the front line trying to start winning the game by himself in the third quarter when things were still under control.

It's moments like this you'd expect your key player in Markkanen to be growing in leadership role, and start talking to them guards move the ball. It's borderline criminal how little all the bigs got involved the later the game went on.

Some of it us in the lack of guard skills, some of it is on coaching, and some of it is good for tanking. But you might be expect the biggest star of the team at some point grow, and start holding guards accountable, especially Clarkson. You don't have to be rude, just make them hear out. Show that you care. Lead the ship.

 

[KqWIN]

Leadership? I don't really understand how Clarkson playing like Clarkson applies to Lauri. Lauri is a great player, he's not a ball in hand player. We've seen him given opportunities to grow there and it's been ugly. Clarkson/other ballhog guard having the ball late in games is a personnel issue. As the game gets tighter, defenses adjust and take away the easy stuff. You're going to have to have players make plays with the ball in their hands and unfortunately for the Jazz that's going to be some combination of Clarkson, Sexton, and George. And of course, those guys aren't exactly the greatest set of playmakers in the world. When they fail to make the right read and pass to Lauri....it's not a Lauri problem.

I can't even think of what "leadership" would look like from Lauri in those instances. Would it be him demanding the ball so he can get in one of his cringy iso's? What does "accountability" look like here and why is it a Lauri Markkanen thing? Lauri could be wide open under the basket for a free dunk and if Clarkson doesn't pass to him, it's not a Lauri Markannen leadership issue lol.

Also, we didn't question Lauri's leadership when we won close games against CHI, SAS, and DAL. Feels like this is a roundabout way to do the "complain about Lauri not getting the ball" thing that we've done a million times over now.