BR Report: Celtics interested in acquiring Lauri Markkanan?

[Celtics2021]

Could we acquire Maxi Kleber if that helps Dallas in their attempts to land Markkanen??

https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1425180795342360584?s=20

If the Bulls don’t want him in return, yes.  He fits into the Tristan Thompson TPE.  But I wouldn’t be willing to give much for him — he’s a better backup PF option than what we have, but is that even worth a second-rounder?

[Who]

Could we acquire Maxi Kleber if that helps Dallas in their attempts to land Markkanen??

https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1425180795342360584?s=20

Man, imagine Porzingis and Markkanen together!

I believe they'd get in each other's way and have diminished returns but it would still be awesome to see two such highly skilled jump-shooting scoring big men play together.

[td450]

Interesting discussion.

I think it boils down to just how willful and competitive he is. It's OK to be skilled but have major flaws like he has, but... does he really compete? I haven't watched enough of him to know, but my impression is that no, he isn't a particularly competitive guy.

I think he competes when he is involved in the game and becomes passive when he is ignored ...

Which happened a heck of a lot in Chicago especially these last two years. He was used off the ball far too often as a spot up shooter and he did not respond well to it. He is a scorer more than a spot up shooter. He needs to be in and around the ball. He needs to be in attack-mode.

Happy players work harder.

Unhappy players - some work, some coast. He coasts.

So that kind of guy needs a leader who knows how to bring along other players, who pays attention and makes sure that teammates get the shots and touches they need in the spots they need them.

Last year, we did not have that at all. Smart has never shown that type of cleverness in any sustained way, and Stevens wasn't able to demand it. Kemba didn't bring that, and Tatum certainly didn't either.

It does appear that Udoka displays a more willful demeanor. Let's see if he can demand that guys do what he wants. I'd be a bit nervous about taking a chance on someone like Markkanan until I was a little more confident that the team can be more purposeful about how it wants to play. Mismatches happen in the NBA all the time, and you have to impose your side of the mismatch or the other guy will own you instead.

[Moranis]

Just for fun, how about a double sign and trade

Boston - Schroder, Markkanen
Chicago - Smart
Los Angeles - Richardson, Edwards

Schroder 3 years, 40 million with a player option 3rd year
Markkanen 4 years, 60 million with a player option 4th year

Post Trades with 1 open spot (I believe this keeps us below the hard cap line)

PG - Schroder, Pritchard, Dunn
SG - Brown, Langford
SF - Tatum, Nesmith
PF - Markkanen, Parker, G. Williams, Fernando
C - Horford, R. Williams, Kanter

[PhoSita]

Bleacher Report

[Silas]

Just for fun, how about a double sign and trade

Boston - Schroder, Markkanen
Chicago - Smart
Los Angeles - Richardson, Edwards

Schroder 3 years, 40 million with a player option 3rd year
Markkanen 4 years, 60 million with a player option 4th year

Post Trades with 1 open spot (I believe this keeps us below the hard cap line)

PG - Schroder, Pritchard, Dunn
SG - Brown, Langford
SF - Tatum, Nesmith
PF - Markkanen, Parker, G. Williams, Fernando
C - Horford, R. Williams, Kanter

I like!

[Vermont Green]

Could we acquire Maxi Kleber if that helps Dallas in their attempts to land Markkanen??

https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1425180795342360584?s=20

If the Bulls don’t want him in return, yes.  He fits into the Tristan Thompson TPE.  But I wouldn’t be willing to give much for him — he’s a better backup PF option than what we have, but is that even worth a second-rounder?

The Bulls have gone kind of all in getting Vucevic, Ball, and DeRozan but so far that has cost them Thad Young, Aminu, and Theis.  They have no PFs and only 1 real center.  If they S&T Markkanen, I would think they need to get something back, just to fill in their roster.  They are solid at PG, SG, and SF but they have only Vucevic currently as a big, plus Tony Bradley.

Hard to understand what the Bulls are doing.  Maybe they hope Markkanen just sucks it up and takes the QO and they don't really want to help him sign with another team.

[BruceBanner18]

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.

Olynyk was my comp too. Doug McDermott just got $14/yr from SA too.

The first yr of the contract would be about 12.5/yr which seems more than reasonable.

[Celtics2021]

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.

Olynyk was my comp too. Doug McDermott just got $14/yr from SA too.

The first yr of the contract would be about 12.5/yr which seems more than reasonable.

He reportedly turned down that level of offer from San Antonio already.  And given that his downside is 1 year, $9 million and then he’s unrestricted next year, it seems unlikely he’ll move much off his $15 million asking price.

[Vermont Green]

Just for fun, how about a double sign and trade

Boston - Schroder, Markkanen
Chicago - Smart
Los Angeles - Richardson, Edwards

Schroder 3 years, 40 million with a player option 3rd year
Markkanen 4 years, 60 million with a player option 4th year

Post Trades with 1 open spot (I believe this keeps us below the hard cap line)

PG - Schroder, Pritchard, Dunn
SG - Brown, Langford
SF - Tatum, Nesmith
PF - Markkanen, Parker, G. Williams, Fernando
C - Horford, R. Williams, Kanter

I have not checked the math but a couple of things on this.  I don't think I want Schroder nor do I think he will take that kind of deal.  He probably will look for 1 year, maybe plus a player option year.  The second thing is that Chicago needs bigs, I don't see what they want with Smart based on their roster.

I liked the deals where we were signing Schroder and trading Smart for Markkanen and I would be OK with sending Richardson to the Lakers to get Markkanen (and keeping Smart) but I don't like giving up both Richardson and Smart for Schroder and Markkanen.  I think I pass on this deal as stated.  Now if there is a way to send Richardson to the Lakers and something from the Lakers to CHI (Lakers have no space or exemptions to do much of anything so they have to send out matching salary), that also works for me.

[Birdman]

Just for fun, how about a double sign and trade

Boston - Schroder, Markkanen
Chicago - Smart
Los Angeles - Richardson, Edwards

Schroder 3 years, 40 million with a player option 3rd year
Markkanen 4 years, 60 million with a player option 4th year

Post Trades with 1 open spot (I believe this keeps us below the hard cap line)

PG - Schroder, Pritchard, Dunn
SG - Brown, Langford
SF - Tatum, Nesmith
PF - Markkanen, Parker, G. Williams, Fernando
C - Horford, R. Williams, Kanter

Love it but hate to help the Lakers lol..don’t like Romeo as a backup SG..what bout JJ Redick?

[BruceBanner18]

I doubt there’s any interest but if there was, the only way to get the best out of Lauri Markkanen is to play him as a centre next to a defensive minded forward.

Although I do like Markkanen he’s not quick enough to stay in front of wings, he’s not a rim protector and he’s an average to below average rebounder.

IMO he’s more Ryan Anderson then Dirk Nowitzki.

Here we are shopping for a reliable car and you're telling us the Camry we're looking at is more similar to an Accord than to a Rolls Royce!?!? hahaha You get what you pay for I guess lol

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I doubt there’s any interest but if there was, the only way to get the best out of Lauri Markkanen is to play him as a centre next to a defensive minded forward.

Although I do like Markkanen he’s not quick enough to stay in front of wings, he’s not a rim protector and he’s an average to below average rebounder.

IMO he’s more Ryan Anderson then Dirk Nowitzki.

Here we are shopping for a reliable car and you're telling us the Camry we're looking at is more similar to an Accord than to a Rolls Royce!?!? hahaha You get what you pay for I guess lol

He's more Jeff Green, Harrison Barnes, or Bojan Bognavic than either. He's a promising wing player with lacking defense, but who could be a really important cog to a good offensive team.

He's a better player than Kyle Kuzma or Davis Bertans.

[gouki88]

I have been wondering about the potential of a Markannen-Timelord duo a lot, as his free agency has dragged on. I share many of the same sentiments as Who, in that I think Lauri is best suited to being a 5.

That being said, maybe he could work in a two-big lineup alongside Timelord. Timelord is an elite interior scorer, elite rebounder, great defender and solid passer. Markannen is a strong interior scorer, elite perimeter scorer and is a really good ball-handler for someone his size. Could they work?

[RodyTur10]

I like Markkanen more than Porzingis. But I have no idea how we can acquire him longterm.