Author Topic: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?  (Read 14695 times)

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BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« on: August 10, 2021, 01:23:45 PM »

Offline footey

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https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/08/celtics-have-shown-interest-in-lauri-markkanen-is-there-a-realistic-path-to-acquiring-bulls-restricted-free-agent.html

What would it take for us to get him in a sign and trade? Is he our future power forward? Is he capable of playing that position alongside Al or Rob?

He has a beautiful shooting stroke, but his percentage declined somewhat.


Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2021, 01:31:28 PM »

Offline radiohead

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The closest in terms of salary would probably be Marcus Smart?

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2021, 01:34:47 PM »

Offline hpantazo

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Interesting language on that report that the salary is an average of 15 million a year. We could sign him to a deal that starts at our trade exception of about 9 million and increases the following years I believe.

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2021, 01:37:51 PM »

Offline Celtics2021

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The closest in terms of salary would probably be Marcus Smart?

Josh Richardson would work if we acquiesced to his salary demands.

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2021, 01:41:09 PM »

Offline Birdman

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Seems like Celtics are interested in everyone
C/PF-Horford, Baynes, Noel, Theis, Morris,
SF/SG- Tatum, Brown, Hayward, Smart, Semi, Clark
PG- Irving, Rozier, Larkin

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2021, 01:41:43 PM »

Offline Roy H.

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Interesting language on that report that the salary is an average of 15 million a year. We could sign him to a deal that starts at our trade exception of about 9 million and increases the following years I believe.

Raises in that case could only be 4.5% of the first year value, so it couldn’t reach that average over four years.


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Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2021, 02:00:45 PM »

Online Who

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Is he our future power forward? Is he capable of playing that position alongside Al or Rob?
Markkanen can play PF but he has shown himself incapable of being a high end player. He is just an average role player at PF.

His problem is matching up against smaller quicker athletes. Opponents who can defend him well on the perimeter and cut off his dribble drive action resulting in Markkanen resorting to more outside shooting. He has some post up game but nobody runs post ups anymore so his size doesn't give him much (if any) advantage while his relative speed (to other quicker SF/PF) puts him at a disadvantage.

Markkanen is not particularly good in regards to passing, defense or rebounding. Most of his contribution comes from scoring. And as a PF his scoring is mostly limited to spot up shooting and pick and pop scenarios. So not that effective.

Hence, an average role player level PF.

I do believe Markkanen has a chance to be a special level scorer if he slides up a slot to center offering him a speed advantage versus his opponent which would create more opportunities for him to score. With work and time (a full season), I do believe he can become an adequate defender & rebounder here but likely never a good one.

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2021, 02:01:05 PM »

Offline Vermont Green

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The problem with a sign and trade for Markkanen is that dang hard cap.  We can probably structure a deal by sending out Smart and say Dunn, signing Schroder, and bringing in Markkanen and still be under the hard cap but then that is pretty much it for this season.  We could still do things such as trading say Richardson and Horford but what is that going to get us?  We would have to manage every penny, much like last season when we had to give up Theis to get Fournier because we were hard capped.

Markkanen may be worth that kind of commitment but it is a risk.  We can end up with a very good young team if Markkanen ends up being as good as it seems he could be.  I don't get the feeling though that the Celtics are going to do this; take this kind of risk this season.  I see a less risky path such as Richardson out for Bagley and then we keep Smart.  We hold firm with Schroder at the Tax MLE (which he doesn't take).  No hard cap.  Bagley on a one year deal, playing for his next contract.  Or what you see now is what you get.

I am torn on Markkanen.  I find the prospect very attractive but I also fear that he is not as good as I want him to be.

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2021, 02:02:56 PM »

Offline stes

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Dunn, Fernando, G.Williams, Langford and Edwards make $14,9M :) Dunn and Fernando can’t be traded along with other players for now, but that could save us Smart and Richardson, though I don’t know why would the Bulls want so many not great players (albeit on small contract, could swing them further, at least maybe some of them) and frankly I don’t love the idea of Lauri at $15M. Similar to Schröder and Fournier earlier - if it’s a bargain then great, otherwise I’m not sold.

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2021, 02:10:45 PM »

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I am torn on Markkanen.  I find the prospect very attractive but I also fear that he is not as good as I want him to be.
Yeah, I have a lot of fear with Markkanen as well. My fear is less about his individual talent and more geared to how his next team views and utilizes him.

(1) Do they see him as a PF?
(2) Or an undersized offensive orientated C?

(3) Are they willing to live with short term pain in terms of defense & rebounding while they train him up at C? Are they willing to live with what will likely be a mediocre defender / rebounder at center long term in order to have a high level offensive contribution from Markkanen on the other end?

I do think the talent is there but I also feel he is the type of player who is highly dependent on being in the right environment for that talent to come because of how unorthodox a player he is.

I hope he finds a coach and team who has the right vision for him but I am not optimistic. I feel like he has been typecast as a stretch four Dirk Nowitzki-lite type player and that that will work against him.

I'd much rather see him compared to Bob McAdoo.

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #10 on: August 10, 2021, 02:17:16 PM »

Offline Vermont Green

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Is he our future power forward? Is he capable of playing that position alongside Al or Rob?
Markkanen can play PF but he has shown himself incapable of being a high end player. He is just an average role player at PF.

His problem is matching up against smaller quicker athletes. Opponents who can defend him well on the perimeter and cut off his dribble drive action resulting in Markkanen resorting to more outside shooting. He has some post up game but nobody runs post ups anymore so his size doesn't give him much (if any) advantage while his relative speed (to other quicker SF/PF) puts him at a disadvantage.

Markkanen is not particularly good in regards to passing, defense or rebounding. Most of his contribution comes from scoring. And as a PF his scoring is mostly limited to spot up shooting and pick and pop scenarios. So not that effective.

Hence, an average role player level PF.

I do believe Markkanen has a chance to be a special level scorer if he slides up a slot to center offering him a speed advantage versus his opponent which would create more opportunities for him to score. With work and time (a full season), I do believe he can become an adequate defender & rebounder here but likely never a good one.

I don't dispute your analysis.  It seems fair.  I don't worry as much about the quicker PF vs. bigger PF so much as there is so much switching now that this gets mitigated.  Match ups changes with switching and with line up changes.  You tend to see just about every possible combination as the game plays out.

But to your point about his future being more at C instead of PF, I don't think that is a reason to do or not do a deal for him now.  Horford is likely gone after this season so there will be opportunity to play him wherever you want or where he plays best.  If we get him, the thinking should be long term, not short term.  If you think he is a real deal big, regardless of PF or C, you try to get him.  Do you think he is a good fit alongside Brown and Tatum?  If so, you can work out the line ups.

Even this season, say you want to play him 36 minutes (essentially starter minutes whether he starts or not).  I could see that being 12 min alongside RWilliams or Horford (2-big tall ball), 12 min with Parker (big-swing medium ball), and 12 min as the only big (1-big small ball).  It is never all one thing or another through the course of a game or season.  You hope to settle into a core rotation or ideally a core 5 but not so many teams are able to achieve that.

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #11 on: August 10, 2021, 02:27:26 PM »

Offline hpantazo

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Interesting language on that report that the salary is an average of 15 million a year. We could sign him to a deal that starts at our trade exception of about 9 million and increases the following years I believe.

Raises in that case could only be 4.5% of the first year value, so it couldn’t reach that average over four years.

Good to know, thank you

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #12 on: August 10, 2021, 02:28:41 PM »

Offline hpantazo

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Dunn, Fernando, G.Williams, Langford and Edwards make $14,9M :) Dunn and Fernando can’t be traded along with other players for now, but that could save us Smart and Richardson, though I don’t know why would the Bulls want so many not great players (albeit on small contract, could swing them further, at least maybe some of them) and frankly I don’t love the idea of Lauri at $15M. Similar to Schröder and Fournier earlier - if it’s a bargain then great, otherwise I’m not sold.

Well that's probably why the Bulls want a 1st round pick to facilitate the deal.

Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #13 on: August 10, 2021, 02:30:09 PM »

Offline Roy H.

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Markannen has some flaws, but to me he's a good value at $14 - $15 million.  His career averages are 16 / 7, he's efficient, and he's only 24 years old.

Compare that to 30 year old Kelly Olynyk, who has career averages of 10 / 5 with similar efficiency.   He got around $13 million per year, right?  So, the market to some extent has been set.  So long as Markannen doesn't regress, the value is there.


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Re: BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2021, 02:31:31 PM »

Offline sahara

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https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/08/celtics-have-shown-interest-in-lauri-markkanen-is-there-a-realistic-path-to-acquiring-bulls-restricted-free-agent.html

What would it take for us to get him in a sign and trade? Is he our future power forward? Is he capable of playing that position alongside Al or Rob?

He has a beautiful shooting stroke, but his percentage declined somewhat.

Untrue, his minutes went down, but his percentages (except for ft%) were the best of his career 58/40/82 59eFG%
« Last Edit: August 10, 2021, 02:39:24 PM by sahara »