I must have missed where he became a player that's so good he can dictate he be traded.
Lauri Markkanen is certainly talented... I don't get where people think he's not that good...
I don't even get what Boylen is doing with his offense. He literally forces Lauri to camp at the 3 point line which really undermines his offensive ability. He also has played with Dunn/Lavine, neither who are world beaters at the passing department. While Dunn is strictly a defensive PG, sometimes when he played with Lauri, he seemed unable to make the right plays to allow him to score.
I would absolutely love to bring him here... He fits the perfect mold for a stretch 4 or even the perfect 5, (I don't think his frame would be any sort of concern, since we practically use semi double teams to help trap defenders in our switch defense.)
In 2019, during the month of February, he literally broke historic monstrous numbers.
Markkanen finishes February, in 10 games, averaging 25.7 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.4 3-pointers in 36.3 minutes per game. He was dominant throughout the month, posting four 30-point games (he had two through his first 29 games this season) and had double-doubles in all but two games, and in those two he had nine rebounds in each.
It's putting him in some wild territory: Heading into March, Markkanen is now averaging 19.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.4 3-pointers in 39 games. Were he to bump his triples up slightly, he'd become the first player in NBA history to average 19-9-2.5. They're odd thresholds, but it's still impressive to consider that no one - not even stretch forwards like Dirk Nowtizki, Kevin Love or Chris Bosh - ever reached those numbers. And, of course, Markkanen would do it at 21 years old.
He won't come cheap, but hopefully his desire to be traded basically forces Chicago to make a decision on either changing the entire front office or letting go of a young player who is talented beyond measure and is WASTING his potential with a team that doesn't know how to use a gifted big.
I was very high on him until this season when he declined in most areas. Maybe it's because he was unhappy and maybe he'd be rejuvenated elsewhere. His health has got to be a concern at this point. He's played in 68, 52, and 50 games. I guess I'd like to take a chance on him but I wouldn't give up nearly as much as I would have given up a year ago.
Well, I believe bringing him here allows him to be more flexible, and create offense that is tailored for him. We could also use other players to allow him to get the needed rest. Also when he broke his pelvis, he told the front office that he wanted to play despite concerns from front office after there were rumors that they were trying to 'tank,' again for a top PG/forward.
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This is where Boylen's incompetence once again comes through.
Lauri played 29.8 MPG with an injured oblique the entire season. Not only does that severely limit your movement, explosiveness, but also forces most players out of the season/action.
KC Johnson: Here’s another sign that this Markkanen move is largely precautionary: Told that if this were playoffs, he’d be playing. And as recently as this morning, Markkanen insisted he could play tonight. One benefit: This rest will give time for his ankle to heal.
KC Johnson: Jim Boylen said Lauri Markkanen is fighting through a sore oblique and has been dealing with it for 2 weeks. Yesterday was first time team disclosed it.
This is a quote from Lauri two weeks ago after he was asked by a reporter why he wasn't playing the high post (where he has excelled in the past)?
"“We do have a different offense, and we're trying to figure out where the offense is coming from, where your spots are,” Markkanen said. “I'm not running that much in the post right now. I'm more on the perimeter as part of our offense. But we're trying to figure it out and get to our spots."
