I have been following discussions on this board for awhile now and just haven't posted. I just wanted to say that I think Lauri is distracted for a few reasons. The first one is obvious because of the trade of his friends on the team and also because he wasn't selected to play for the All Star game. Didn't help that they played 3 games in 4 nights either. Was a great game for the team last night I just wish they had won it!
Lauri Markkanen
- Thread starter Jazzedkim
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Chargers Jazz Angels
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Welcome to the board.
SteakNEggs
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I was listening to his interview after the Lakers game and he seemed pretty disinterested. I don't know, if I was him I get it. 2 years now and the team hasn't gotten him any help, instead they have taken it away.
Thanks!
I agree! I would think you would lose f
HermanG
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the board! I think he will snap out of it after AS break. He is a competitor at heart and was probably feeling like they could get in and he could get his first playoff taste before the FO pulled the plug.
Thanks for the welcome! I think you are probably right. Before the trade it did look like we would make the play in. Definitely not now..
Thee Idiotic Minivan K
Well-Known Member
To be honest he’s struggled at times with a lot of teams that are being very physical with him. That’s the scouting report on him. I think it’s caused him to expend a lot of energy and has had to work a lot harder this year which is probably why he shoots so many contested threes so much more than last year from my eye test. This year could go a long way to help him have an even better year next year if he puts in the proper work. His time in the military could have also been part of the problem. I think he needs to bulk up a bit, and hopefully the staff sees this.
FrenchJazzFa
Well-Known Member
I'm not worry for him. If he decide not to sign extension with Jazz, there willl be plenty of suitors to pay him and much better team than us. I thnk the decision will depend how DA explain the project. But last 2 years have been frustrating. Play full speed half season and turn the plug off is not something a player who want to win funny.
Thee Idiotic Minivan K
Well-Known Member
Every player wants to win but the nba is a business. I don’t know how euro leagues conduct things, but this is the life of an nba player. They get paid well and play a game they love. I do feel Markkanen wants to be here. I think he resigns assuming Zanik and Danny don’t decide it’s better to trade him. But he could also get that itch to play for a winner
FrenchJazzFa
Well-Known Member
I agree with you. But one player make enough money and get older, they try to think abount winning a ring and this become important. But you're right, money come first.
Hello. This is true, but the worst mistake Bulls organization did with Lauri was to 'demand' him bulk up. Lauri lost all of his assets and identity. Lauri is not a player whose strenths are posting up and banging with bigs. Hell, he is not the greatest in posting up small guards. He does not have the post moves. He is not exceptional ball handler but he is able to bring the ball up after rebound and even going coast to coast if given room. Better than most his size.
If you ask him to bulk up you lose his speed, stamina and body control and jumping ability. Everything he has going over other bigs. Lauri is not small per se. He has already quite big frame. I BEG, DO NOT BULK UP ANY MORE!
Lauri needs other good players in the team that he gets little more room to operate. He needs not to bulk up.
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Peter_Mentor
Member
Wow, I wasn't ready too read "Lauri needs to bulk up" takes still in 2024. It's literally the last thing he needs to do. The biggest challenges are still on the mental side. He still settles for the role of the floor spacer when things don't happen easily. The GSW game was a good example when Will did a great job demanding more from Lauri in the last quarter.
Step-Back Lauri
Active Member
The military thing... He told he would have done lot of things differently. The timing was kinda bad, bc it was obvious he is going to be game planned more this season, and Jazz also lost playmaking in Conley
IMO he doesn't need to bulk up much, no. What he needs to do, is working with his stance, which is still too high. Improving it will help to use his first step more efficiently in more stationary situations. He also needs to look closely tapes from players such KO, how to perform fakes. KO is slowish player, but he uses his feet and fakes really well to throw off defenders to get shots up.
Lauri is borderline unstoppable, when he gets a running start and catches the ball in movement, but lacks footwork and sneakiness in dead pace moments.
Thee Idiotic Minivan K
Well-Known Member
Putting on ten fifteen pounds on isn’t going to hurt him and the jazz aren’t going to ask him to post up. IMO he needs to get stronger. You can do that without sacrificing mobility. He wares out as games go on
Tanktastic
Well-Known Member
Are you Jim Boylen in disguise or do you just hate Lauri?
Of course he can't. More mass slows you down, that's simple physics. Also, adding mass wears you down more late in games, not less.
LogGrad98
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That's not really a 1 to 1 in athletic endeavors. If it's pure fat, well most likely that's true. But adding muscle can increase agility and speed and endurance. It'll be different for every individual.
Tanktastic
Well-Known Member
Theoretically yes, in Lauri's case no. Getting away from the Bulls regime is exactly what brought back his agility and speed. When Hardy met Lauri's Finnish trainer in SLC, the message was to change nothing and keep doing what you're doing.
But here the wish was for Lauri to bulk up fifteen pounds in order to get stronger. Exactly the Jim Boylen blueprint, which ruined a year for him.
As for him wearing down sometimes, that's what happens when a 7-footer runs more distance on the court than anyone else. And that's a part product of him having to work so hard to get the ball - which in part is caused because the D can focus on Lauri and usually leave two other players pretty much open.
Step-Back Lauri
Active Member
I think that the term " bulking up" has bad connotations, bc it really means nothing to just add mass.
Reducing or gaining mass without direction and competitive trainers and staff is always for bad. The team injury history that Garpax era Bulls had, indicates they were very incompetitive for professional team. You can add strength and muscle mass safely, when the plan is clear and it's all about functionality. The "bulking up" for me does refer to mindless pumping of iron.
Reducing or gaining mass without direction and competitive trainers and staff is always for bad. The team injury history that Garpax era Bulls had, indicates they were very incompetitive for professional team. You can add strength and muscle mass safely, when the plan is clear and it's all about functionality. The "bulking up" for me does refer to mindless pumping of iron.