Does Marko have a role on this team next year?

[ghostinthepost1]

The Bulls most realistic opportunity for growth next year is seeing a leap from their young players. The prime candidates are obviously Pat and Ayo but they've been talked about till death.

But what about Marko? He could provide some size and shooting which this roster desperately needs especially since Vuc is in the last year of his contract.

[HomoSapien]

Impossible to say if he’s really an NBA caliber player or not. He did have some big D-League games, but even that doesn’t really mean much.

[ChettheJet]

That's what coaches decide watching game film. It's not going to be based on G League stats or highlights. It's how does he move within the offense, does he get in position to set picks, does he have a feel for when to roll to the basket. Defensively does he stay in front of his man, does he rotate the way he's supposed to, does he block out when he doesn't get the rebound.

look hard at the next summer league games to see what he looks like, forget the stats and dunks

[Red8911]

He should of got the role of punching Grayson Allen. Important game changing role. Beats his current role of just sitting on the bench doing absolutely nothing. Could have easily earned his money.

[PaKii94]

Lolol Marko is a scrub. Idk why people are still holding out hope for him. He's not a hidden talent. If he was able to play in the NBA he would be in the rotation right now. The bulls desperately needed pf production

[WindyCityBorn]

I’m not hopeful he will ever be a rotation level player.

[TeamMan]

Marko is in his rookie contract on a winning team with an excellent center.

Over the summer, and during next season, they will be trying to put more muscle on his bones, and improving his agility.

Then it's possible that he could play PF in the league.

Don't really know the state of his 3P shot, but that could make all the difference.

At the end of next season would be a good time to ask this question.

Will he given the QO, will he be traded, or will AK just let him walk?

Knowing AK's history with trades, IMO it's unlikely that Marko will be allowed walk?

He'll be playing in the summer league, and that should give a better idea of how he's developing.

[dougthonus]

Impossible to say if he’s really an NBA caliber player or not. He did have some big D-League games, but even that doesn’t really mean much.

We has a desperate need for even sub replacement caliber play at his position, there were times when the roster was so devastated by COVID/injuries that we had 5+ guys off the street on the team. We probably went through something like 7 guys who weren't in the league rather than giving Marko minutes or a roster spot.

Based on that, we can say with near 100% confidence that Marko was not even close to being ready to contribute this year. If he was even close, we'd have given him a shot vs the truckload of guys who weren't in the league we tried instead. I guess it's theoretically possible that he just makes massive leaps between now and next season, but that's what it would take, just incredible improvement.

I'd say there is about a 1 in 1000 chance he's ever a meaningful NBA player.

[sco]

Impossible to say if he’s really an NBA caliber player or not. He did have some big D-League games, but even that doesn’t really mean much.

We has a desperate need for even sub replacement caliber play at his position, there were times when the roster was so devastated by COVID/injuries that we had 5+ guys off the street on the team. We probably went through something like 7 guys who weren't in the league rather than giving Marko minutes or a roster spot.

Based on that, we can say with near 100% confidence that Marko was not even close to being ready to contribute this year. If he was even close, we'd have given him a shot vs the truckload of guys who weren't in the league we tried instead. I guess it's theoretically possible that he just makes massive leaps between now and next season, but that's what it would take, just incredible improvement.

I'd say there is about a 1 in 1000 chance he's ever a meaningful NBA player.

Doug, you called this one right, all the way back at the draft.

Marko isn't a quality 3rd string NBA C. Unfortunately, he's guaranteed next season, but given that it's a min deal the impact is small. Given that we're over the cap, my question is whether there is an impact (other than a higher tax payment if we go over the tax) to buying him out and adding another guy for the vet min?

I think an under-discussed change this season was the addition of TT. IMO, he's had a relatively negative impact vs. what Bradley was giving us. Hope he's gone. I hope Bradley stays though as our 3rd string C(especially if we can be rid of Marko).

[dougthonus]

Doug, you called this one right, all the way back at the draft.

I mean the default expectation for any late 2nd rounder, particularly a draft and stash, should be never contributes. I would guess most people expected he wouldn't contribute.

Marko isn't a quality 3rd string NBA C. Unfortunately, he's guaranteed next season, but given that it's a min deal the impact is small. Given that we're over the cap, my question is whether there is an impact (other than a higher tax payment if we go over the tax) to buying him out and adding another guy for the vet min?

Really sad we went 3 years here instead of on Ayo IMO. That's going to bite the Bulls in the ass.

I think an under-discussed change this season was the addition of TT. IMO, he's had a relatively negative impact vs. what Bradley was giving us. Hope he's gone. I hope Bradley stays though as our 3rd string C(especially if we can be rid of Marko).

Yeah, I feel the same. I think TT has killed the vibe of things by trying to be all tough and leadery and ended up causing some division somewhere. No evidence to back it up, but you constantly see him yelling at guys or talking to guys, and I don't think it has hit how he wants even if well intended.

[HomoSapien]

Impossible to say if he’s really an NBA caliber player or not. He did have some big D-League games, but even that doesn’t really mean much.

We has a desperate need for even sub replacement caliber play at his position, there were times when the roster was so devastated by COVID/injuries that we had 5+ guys off the street on the team. We probably went through something like 7 guys who weren't in the league rather than giving Marko minutes or a roster spot.

Based on that, we can say with near 100% confidence that Marko was not even close to being ready to contribute this year. If he was even close, we'd have given him a shot vs the truckload of guys who weren't in the league we tried instead. I guess it's theoretically possible that he just makes massive leaps between now and next season, but that's what it would take, just incredible improvement.

I'd say there is about a 1 in 1000 chance he's ever a meaningful NBA player.

No doubt about it. He definitely was incredibly far from contributing. There was the rumor that drafting him was a favor for his agent, and the fact that we basically never played him makes it feel that way. My hope is that since we signed him to a three-year contract and then featured him heavily in the D-League that they actually see some potential. Hopefully, they're high on him and he's just a big project.

[dougthonus]

No doubt about it. He definitely was incredibly far from contributing. There was the rumor that drafting him was a favor for his agent, and the fact that we basically never played him makes it feel that way. My hope is that since we signed him to a three-year contract and then featured him heavily in the D-League that they actually see some potential. Hopefully, they're high on him and he's just a big project.

I believe we could have drafted him as a favor, but if we signed him to a 3 year deal instead of Ayo as a favor, that was just stupid. Even giving him a 2 year deal would have been a tremendous favor.

This is probably what you meant, but I hope there is reason to be high on him. From what I have seen, there isn't reason, and if we're high on him without reason then it's just bad decision making.

[kodo]

I don't know what his position is in the NBA. From the Euro videos, I thought he was a PF in the mode of Lauri Markkanen and thought he could do that job here in the NBA. But so far he's been played exclusive as a center, and he's just too slim to be a power center like Drummond and not remotely athletic enough for a slim center like Gafford or Claxton.

It's extremely rare for 2nd rounders to make much impact so I wouldn't say it's a bad pick, just your average 2nd round pick that amounts to nothing.

[Axl Rose]

He should of got the role of punching Grayson Allen. Important game changing role. Beats his current role of just sitting on the bench doing absolutely nothing. Could have easily earned his money.

Honestly getting revenge on Grayson Allen is so over at this point.

Just play some defense when he is killing us for 27 points

[MGB8]

I think folks are jumping the gun on this one, too.

Despite the minimal TT-Vuc lineups, it's fairly clear that Billy wants wings at the 4. Marko is not a wing. He's also not nearly strong enough as a rookie to handle the 5 spot.

A little bit of age and a lot of NBA level athletic training can in fact fix that for many. Remember how skinny and easily pushed around Tyson Chandler was, right until the year after we traded him to bring in Ben Wallace, when Tyson finally had developed enough "junk in the trunk" to handle the post?

My guess is that they envision Marko as a Vuc-type offensive 5. He doesn't have quite Vuc's measurements, but Vuc also came into the league incredibly skinny (go watch clips of his first season, in Philly). Whether he has the skillset to succeed is an open question. But whether he currently can hang physically is not - pretty clear he can't - but I'd suggest that given his build (thicker than Tyson's), age and normal human maturation, it's likely that, at least strength wise, he'll be able to hang within a couple of years.

[Brothaman33]

So I'll defend him a little bit...

I watched alot of him in the G-League because I'm stupid. Obviously, stats don't mean much at all, so I am talking specifically the eye test from the start of the year to the end. He undoubtedly is alot better as a player now then when he started. Not stats, just visually. He does a few things well.

1. He has good touch around the rim and has a good understanding of where the hoop is to make quick flips up to the rim off lobs and passes.

2. He isn't a "good" passer, but he for sure is unselfish and looks for an open man first. Definitely not a blackhole.

3. His understanding of the pick and roll is probably his biggest improvement from the year. He has a knack for the ball as a roller, either pick and pop or to the rim.

Billy only talked about him a couple times all season. The one thing he did mention was that he needs to get stronger and that is very evident.

His problem is that his issues are all the exact things we need... He is a very poor defender, not long, not very bouncy and shot it pretty bad from 3.

He probably never plays a significant role for us because I dont think he is going to be able to defend. But I also don't think he is a scrub on the level of Jake Voskhul of Paul Shirley... if he gets you 5 to 8 mins a game next year with a good offseason of work...take it and run.

[mj234eva]

Yes, to get his ass kicked in practice playing one on one. And to warm the bench.

[GoBlue72391]

So I'll defend him a little bit...

I watched alot of him in the G-League because I'm stupid. Obviously, stats don't mean much at all, so I am talking specifically the eye test from the start of the year to the end. He undoubtedly is alot better as a player now then when he started. Not stats, just visually. He does a few things well.

1. He has good touch around the rim and has a good understanding of where the hoop is to make quick flips up to the rim off lobs and passes.

2. He isn't a "good" passer, but he for sure is unselfish and looks for an open man first. Definitely not a blackhole.

3. His understanding of the pick and roll is probably his biggest improvement from the year. He has a knack for the ball as a roller, either pick and pop or to the rim.

Billy only talked about him a couple times all season. The one thing he did mention was that he needs to get stronger and that is very evident.

His problem is that his issues are all the exact things we need... He is a very poor defender, not long, not very bouncy and shot it pretty bad from 3.

He probably never plays a significant role for us because I dont think he is going to be able to defend. But I also don't think he is a scrub on the level of Jake Voskhul of Paul Shirley... if he gets you 5 to 8 mins a game next year with a good offseason of work...take it and run.

The thing with guys like that is, they would never sniff making an NBA roster in today's game. Those kinds of guys were the by-product of an era where being big for the sake of being big was still viewed as a commodity, regardless of whether they could actually play or not.

So while Marko probably isn't as big of a scrub as those talentless 7-foot stiffs from the 90s and 2000s, he's probably about as scrubby as it's going to get in today's game, minus this season where they were giving 10 days to anyone with a pulse due to all the health and safety protocols.

[Dan Z]

[Ballerkingn23]

Yes he will and we will need these kind of cheap developmental guys to fill out our roster as we get towards the lux tax.