Lauri Markkanen Discussion Thread

[GoBlue72391]

Theis is a decent passer himself.

This was clearly a screw the future, we're all-in now move. I think Lauri is just gonna be a 15-20MPG guy now. He's still here, but it's over for him.

You're in for a big disappointment if you seriously believe Lauri will only get 15-20 MPG.

There's only 96 minutes at the 4/5.

Vucevic low 30s? Let's say 33. Thad? Probably sticks around 25. Theis? At least Vucevic's backup minutes. That's 15 right there. Probably a little more, since he's the only thing even vaguely resembling a center here that plays good defense.

This leaves only 23 minutes a game at the 4/5. You have to figure either Pat or Aminu will get some minutes at the 4 here and there.

So yeah. 20 sounds about right.

Thad will likely get closer to 20 minutes than 25. He loses effectiveness when he plays more than 20 minutes anyway. Lauri will likely be in the mid-high 20s.

C: Vuch 30-32, Theis 16-18
PF: Lauri 25-28, Thad 20-23

PWill will get the bulk of his minutes at SF, with occasional spot/situational minutes at PF. Aminu probably won't be in the rotation, but he could get situational minutes at the 3 and 4 for defensive purposes.

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[Dez]

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Really bodes well for the constructed narrative that everyone wants him and he has so much trade value.

If the Lauri fans were whining about his usage before then they should be furious now, he's in his right spot as a 3rd option.

WAS's 1st will be top 5 in a stacked class. Obvious no trade.

That's why teams put protections or trade another years 1st, it said a 1st not Washingtons unprotected 2021 1st.

[erlim]

I don’t get it. I also feel Lauri has been playing under our initial hype for him, but removing the pressure of being our second most important scorer and putting him next to a real center again for the first time since RoLo seems like a pretty good way to utilize Lauri.

[erlim]

dubious about this claim. Finland, Germany and Montenegro/Serbia are pretty different places, I doubt there's some pan-European identity that connects these very different culturally and geographically places.
almost seems like cowley is saying lauri needs to be surrounded by white people in order to play good ball.

however, i'm OK with the fact that lauri will remain here for at least the rest of the season. let's see how he plays in his natural role as 3rd fiddle.

I don't think it's Euro so much as two older (while still young) and more mature married guys with young children, just like him. Man, once you got kids, work and kids is all you talk about with your buds. I can see how hanging out with a bunch of 21-year olds who (rightfully) want to enjoy the party life was not down Lauri's lane. Didn't WCJ call him a kitty-cat or some synonym for not wanting to party and get wasted in a strip joint or something with the other young players just last season?

Part of me thinks that having a kid at 19 or whatever lauri did probably negatively impacted his career trajectory than going to the club or something. It’s the opposite with Wendell seemingly, it struck me as weird when that recruiter/explayer (forget who) took him as a high schooler to a strip club

I usually trust Cowley and it’s very strange he’s got a positive vibe about Lauri, but like, the chemistry with Tomas Satoransky, Czech and years playing in Spain, and Lauri didn’t like light the world on fire. I think that putting Lauri next to a legitimate big regardless if they’re from Europe or not will have a positive effect.

[SalmonsSuperfan]

I don't think it's Euro so much as two older (while still young) and more mature married guys with young children, just like him. Man, once you got kids, work and kids is all you talk about with your buds. I can see how hanging out with a bunch of 21-year olds who (rightfully) want to enjoy the party life was not down Lauri's lane. Didn't WCJ call him a kitty-cat or some synonym for not wanting to party and get wasted in a strip joint or something with the other young players just last season?

Part of me thinks that having a kid at 19 or whatever lauri did probably negatively impacted his career trajectory than going to the club or something. It’s the opposite with Wendell seemingly, it struck me as weird when that recruiter/explayer (forget who) took him as a high schooler to a strip club

I usually trust Cowley and it’s very strange he’s got a positive vibe about Lauri, but like, the chemistry with Tomas Satoransky, Czech and years playing in Spain, and Lauri didn’t like light the world on fire. I think that putting Lauri next to a legitimate big regardless if they’re from Europe or not will have a positive effect.

Good point about Sato. Yeah a good vet is a good vet. What’s theis going to offer that thadgic doesn’t? Though I do get the pan-Balkan likeness and part of me thinks vucevic might help draw a guy like doncic...

I also think chicago seems like a desirable landing spot for south Slavs. Dunno why, but I think the bulls would legit be in the running for jokic or doncic if they ever became available. Mirotic seemed to enjoy his time here. Big orthodox presence.

[GrowingHorns]

Lauri to bench? Vuce+Thad starting and Lauri+Theis from bench. Prob they try Vuce+Lauri first.

Thad has been great but it really makes sense to play him lesser minutes from the bench. He has shown he can be very effective that way, and it seems to me that the increase in minutes is beginning to wear on him. Since it appears that the Bulls are seriously pushing for the playoffs, it is best to keep Thad as fresh as he can be. Of course, if need be there should be changes.

If I was the coach, I would play Thad and Vucevic off each other and not together. That way you always have a passing big man in the center and it may prevent some of those scoring droughts.

That leaves you with Lauri vs Theis. That's a tough one. More of an offense vs defense decision. I could see Lauri starting, then being the first starter out and later playing with Thad with the bench unit.

I bolded the last sentence. In addition to that, I am sure Thadd will end games, though, barring we blow out some team... In the NBA the 4th quarter has always much more need for defense. If we go for starting Lauri and it works in offense, with all that fire power we should be on the games even with defensive issues. Then Lauri is 1st one out as u said. It's been like that for a while now.

[FranchisePlayer]

I honestly don't understand what in the world Lauri has done to deserve such a diehard fanbase.

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....huh? ....Markkanen doesn’t have a fan base at all, let alone a “die hard” one. No one even knows who he is outside of Bulls fans, NBA junkies, and people that vaguely remember him for his 3p shooting during his rookie year. He’s an irrelevant non entity, some random euro stretch 4 that no one’s ever heard of. He doesn’t have a fan base or any semblance of a brand to speak of lol. Where on earth are you getting that he has a “die hard” fan base when the average sports fan wouldn’t be able to recognize him in a photo?

It's more a statement of the handful of posters on this very board who will defend Lauri tooth and nail even and run Zach into the ground constantly.

Lauri hasn't done anything in the NBA to get the kind of support these guys give him.

Had nothing to do with the larger context of sports fans.

In your opinion...bullchit.

[Dez]

....huh? ....Markkanen doesn’t have a fan base at all, let alone a “die hard” one. No one even knows who he is outside of Bulls fans, NBA junkies, and people that vaguely remember him for his 3p shooting during his rookie year. He’s an irrelevant non entity, some random euro stretch 4 that no one’s ever heard of. He doesn’t have a fan base or any semblance of a brand to speak of lol. Where on earth are you getting that he has a “die hard” fan base when the average sports fan wouldn’t be able to recognize him in a photo?

It's more a statement of the handful of posters on this very board who will defend Lauri tooth and nail even and run Zach into the ground constantly.

Lauri hasn't done anything in the NBA to get the kind of support these guys give him.

Had nothing to do with the larger context of sports fans.

In your opinion...bullchit.

He's right, there's a Lauri section that defends Lauri no matter what facts are put in front of them. There's no accountability when it comes to his poor play and everyone else is to blame, Chicago bringing in Vucevic puts Lauri into a better suiting role as a third option where he's not relied upon heavily. I wouldn't be shocked to see BD role with Thad/Vuc or Thiess/Vuc to close games because of the defensive shortcomings of a Lauri/Vuc as we've seen him already benched in crunch time for poor defense.

[ZOMG]

Yesterday felt weird, with all kinds of strange things taking place we're not used to in these parts. But now I see we're back to normal!

I have a warm & fuzzy feeling. When you read posts with scathing Lauri hate... you know you're home.

[FranchisePlayer]

Yesterday felt weird, with all kinds of strange things taking place we're not used to in these parts. But now I see we're back to normal!

I have a warm & fuzzy feeling. When you read posts with scathing Lauri hate... you know you're home.

Yeah, it was weird. I even took that poster off from my ignore list. Now the posts are back to normal (hate posts) and he's back to being completely ignored by me - what a feeling and I LOVE IT!!!

[Louri]

I have feeling that Lauri will benefit a lot from playing next to Vucevic. Opponent has to give attention to Zach/Vuce and Lauri will be left alone in the corner. Vucevic is good passer and will see backdoor cuts/empty corner. Who cares about D in NBA 2021 anyway?

[sco]

I have feeling that Lauri will benefit a lot from playing next to Vucevic. Opponent has to give attention to Zach/Vuce and Lauri will be left alone in the corner. Vucevic is good passer and will see backdoor cuts/empty corner. Who cares about D in NBA 2021 anyway?

Yeah, there has been a question in my mind how Lauri functions as a true 3rd option scorer. Also, the fact that Vuc can play on the perimeter may unclog the lane for drives. I still say the key to Lauri's success will be his ability to hit open 3's.

[Jiipee84]

Finn or not i'm so done with Lauri.
Lauri's agent said for Yle sport ( after trade deadline ) there was a lot interest on Lauri in trade deadline.

Now it would be great to know who were those teams ( yeah Wizards and Pelicans were looking Lauri but aren't playoff teams )
if there was even 1 playoff team who were looking Lauri i'm more than surprised.

If ( and very massive if ) Lauri really is so lucky he gets even 1 offer-sheet Bulls shouldn't match it.
Let that Finnish bum go and get real NBA PF to replace Lauri ( no matter who ) Lauri's time has come to end on Bulls.
And i wouldn't be surprised if he'll be out of NBA faster than he can say ''i busted hard in NBA''.

[sco]

Finn or not i'm so done with Lauri.
Lauri's agent said for Yle sport ( after trade deadline ) there was a lot interest on Lauri in trade deadline.

Now it would be great to know who were those teams ( yeah Wizards and Pelicans were looking Lauri but aren't playoff teams )
if there was even 1 playoff team who were looking Lauri i'm more than surprised.

If ( and very massive if ) Lauri really is so lucky he gets even 1 offer-sheet Bulls shouldn't match it.
Let that Finnish bum go and get real NBA PF to replace Lauri ( no matter who ) Lauri's time has come to end on Bulls.
And i wouldn't be surprised if he'll be out of NBA faster than he can say ''i busted hard in NBA''.

I'm of the mind some team will give him a deal north of $15M next offseason just due to supply and demand for young starting-caliber players. I am 100% on board with just let him walk. Even if we got him for the $11M AK (seemingly rightfully) put on the table, I can see him being disgruntled and looking for a trade.

Now that we've picked a lane with Vuc, I think we now need a mobile PF who can provide rim protection - I personally think Theis can be that guy.

[sco]

Can someone explain a scenario where it could make sense to do a S&T deal for Lauri? What is realistic compensation that we could get, since the other team is able to sign him outright?

[CobyWhite0]

Can someone explain a scenario where it could make sense to do a S&T deal for Lauri? What is realistic compensation that we could get, since the other team is able to sign him outright?

Nobody can sign Lauri outright, because the Bulls have the right to match any contract he signs with any other team.

But probably the best we can hope for in a sign and trade is a large Trade Exception.

[RoseTheFuture22]

I am so so tired of seeing Lauri brick wide open 3 after wide open 3. He is so streaky, if you take out the fluky 7-7 game he is shooting 26% from 3 the last 9 games. He doesn't bring any playmaking and he just kills the offense when he misses those shots. It's time for him to go to the bench

[Chicago-Bull-E]

If Lauri keeps this up he’d be lucky to get 12 million a year. Probably should have accepted the Bulls offer last year.

A 4 big rotation of Vuc/Theis/Thad/Pat is the way to go. Lauri needs to sit for a bit.

[dougthonus]

Can someone explain a scenario where it could make sense to do a S&T deal for Lauri? What is realistic compensation that we could get, since the other team is able to sign him outright?

The scenario that makes tons of sense is some team wants to sign Lauri for X. We work with them to convert it to a S&T and maybe even send them a 2nd rounder and take back a worse one (or some minor compensation) and then we get a gigantic trade exception. Say Lauri signs a deal starting at 20M, we do the S&T thing, then at the deadline we can take back a 20M player without sending anything out.

I think that's the most Chicago will get, but that can be pretty powerful.

[transplant]

I don't think there are that many Markkanen fan boys left.

Not every player can average 16-17ppg and 7 rpg. He's a good offensive player. I wouldn't be surprised if some other team will be willing to pay him some fairly serious money...I don't think AKME will. If they can get a 2nd rounder in a S&T, great. If not, we'll always have our mixed memories.