Crazy idea #3: Lauri-as-Curry Offense

[bkohler]

We’re still in the dog days, so why not get a little weirder? What if the Jazz ran the offense with Lauri Markkanen not as a floor-spacing big, but as a constant off-ball mover? Basically, the “Lauri-as-Curry” offense.

The idea is simple. Stop treating Lauri like a stationary stretch big or a ball-in-hand creator, and start treating him like a chaos engine. Run him off pindowns, flares, and stagger screens all game. Instead of just waiting for a kick-out, he’s actively bending defenses by running them ragged.

The case for it: Lauri is already one of the league’s best tall shooters. Imagine trying to chase a seven-footer around screens all night. He’s got the conditioning and mobility to do it, and with guys like Filipowski, Hendricks, and Kessler setting picks, you’d have giant bodies opening up space everywhere. It could completely change how defenses scheme against the Jazz. The reads for our 'point guards' would be straightforward: get Lauri the ball after he comes off the screens. gg

The case against it: stamina. Curry makes it work because he’s got the handle to punish teams when they overplay the action. Lauri doesn’t have that level of shake (or much of a shake at all, but he's probably going to have a big chasing him anyway, so maybe he's got enough shake. Defenses might switch everything and live with contested looks. You’d probably need a steady secondary playmaker to make it function.

Probably not sustainable as a primary system, but sprinkling it in could be a nightmare for opposing defenses. A seven-footer running off screens like Rip Hamilton is not something NBA teams are used to guarding.

[MalonesElbows]

I don't think it's wise to have a near 7 footer running non stop. Higher injury rate and lack of stamina compared to a guard.

[Daddy 801]

We did do this to a small degree his best season. Not saying he ran around all the time, but he came off screens and picks. More like a Klay than Steph. Emulating Steph’s amount of movement would be almost impossible as I think he always ranks in the top of total steps per game each season.

But yes, we should do this. We also should do this with Ace. And we also should do this with Flip. We should be running an action like that pretty much each play with one of the three bigs and the guards. Put the other big guy in the corner to allow them a little rest and shoot the three if they get open.

[bkohler]

We did do this to a small degree his best season. Not saying he ran around all the time, but he came off screens and picks. More like a Klay than Steph. Emulating Steph’s amount of movement would be almost impossible as I think he always ranks in the top of total steps per game each season.

But yes, we should do this. We also should do this with Ace. And we also should do this with Flip. We should be running an action like that pretty much each play with one of the three bigs and the guards. Put the other big guy in the corner to allow them a little rest and shoot the three if they get open.

A really big Klay might be Lauri's ceiling. It could be really devastating with the right other pieces.

[Inigo Montoya]

I'm also not a fan of having a 7 footer running around all over the place like a guard. I always thought Markkanen should be a PF, in no small part because it's not a great thing for him to chase smaller players on the perimeter all the time. Same goes for his offense, I don't want him running around like Steph. They also have a very different physical profile, body type and agility, so Steph can get off much more difficult shots. Markkanen is at his best when his feet are set. When that happens, he's money. I don't want him taking off balance shots on the move like Steph. What I will say is that on his first season with the Jazz, when they had a good PG in Conley and good secondary facilitators like Olynyk, and when there was a lot of movement, it looked like Markkanen could average 30 points per game, easy. He was that good. He is very good at cutting and moving off the ball, I just think he should do that mostly cutting to the basket and attack the rim hard, rather than run around over endless screens to shoot a 3. He needs a good PG and a team that is trying to win, and then he'll be beasting.

[Daddy 801]

I'm also not a fan of having a 7 footer running around all over the place like a guard. I always thought Markkanen should be a PF, in no small part because it's not a great thing for him to chase smaller players on the perimeter all the time. Same goes for his offense, I don't want him running around like Steph. They also have a very different physical profile, body type and agility, so Steph can get off much more difficult shots. Markkanen is at his best when his feet are set. When that happens, he's money. I don't want him taking off balance shots on the move like Steph. What I will say is that on his first season with the Jazz, when they had a good PG in Conley and good secondary facilitators like Olynyk, and when there was a lot of movement, it looked like Markkanen could average 30 points per game, easy. He was that good. He is very good at cutting and moving off the ball, I just think he should do that mostly cutting to the basket and attack the rim hard, rather than run around over endless screens to shoot a 3. He needs a good PG and a team that is trying to win, and then he'll be beasting.

Couldn’t Lauri be a weird hybrid PF/guard on offense but a PF on defense? Seems like your description is pigeonholing him based on him having be both a PF on offense and defense? Maybe I misunderstand your post…but I want him to be a weak side defender on defense and a cutting/slashing big on offense. Run a play to get him a 3 and if he isn’t open he should roll to hopefully get a lob/pass down low. Something to that effect at least. And I think we should run a ton of similar plays for Flip and Ace. I want to see what these guys can do on offense.

[Inigo Montoya]

I'm also not a fan of having a 7 footer running around all over the place like a guard. I always thought Markkanen should be a PF, in no small part because it's not a great thing for him to chase smaller players on the perimeter all the time. Same goes for his offense, I don't want him running around like Steph. They also have a very different physical profile, body type and agility, so Steph can get off much more difficult shots. Markkanen is at his best when his feet are set. When that happens, he's money. I don't want him taking off balance shots on the move like Steph. What I will say is that on his first season with the Jazz, when they had a good PG in Conley and good secondary facilitators like Olynyk, and when there was a lot of movement, it looked like Markkanen could average 30 points per game, easy. He was that good. He is very good at cutting and moving off the ball, I just think he should do that mostly cutting to the basket and attack the rim hard, rather than run around over endless screens to shoot a 3. He needs a good PG and a team that is trying to win, and then he'll be beasting.

Couldn’t Lauri be a weird hybrid PF/guard on offense but a PF on defense? Seems like your description is pigeonholing him based on him having be both a PF on offense and defense? Maybe I misunderstand your post…but I want him to be a weak side defender on defense and a cutting/slashing big on offense. Run a play to get him a 3 and if he isn’t open he should roll to hopefully get a lob/pass down low. Something to that effect at least. And I think we should run a ton of similar plays for Flip and Ace. I want to see what these guys can do on offense.

That's pretty much what I want, I just don't want him to run around like Curry, that'd be too much for a guy his size, and the type of shots Curry is able to make on the move or in 1-1 scenarios are not the type of shots Markkanen should take, imho.

[Daddy 801]

I'm also not a fan of having a 7 footer running around all over the place like a guard. I always thought Markkanen should be a PF, in no small part because it's not a great thing for him to chase smaller players on the perimeter all the time. Same goes for his offense, I don't want him running around like Steph. They also have a very different physical profile, body type and agility, so Steph can get off much more difficult shots. Markkanen is at his best when his feet are set. When that happens, he's money. I don't want him taking off balance shots on the move like Steph. What I will say is that on his first season with the Jazz, when they had a good PG in Conley and good secondary facilitators like Olynyk, and when there was a lot of movement, it looked like Markkanen could average 30 points per game, easy. He was that good. He is very good at cutting and moving off the ball, I just think he should do that mostly cutting to the basket and attack the rim hard, rather than run around over endless screens to shoot a 3. He needs a good PG and a team that is trying to win, and then he'll be beasting.

Couldn’t Lauri be a weird hybrid PF/guard on offense but a PF on defense? Seems like your description is pigeonholing him based on him having be both a PF on offense and defense? Maybe I misunderstand your post…but I want him to be a weak side defender on defense and a cutting/slashing big on offense. Run a play to get him a 3 and if he isn’t open he should roll to hopefully get a lob/pass down low. Something to that effect at least. And I think we should run a ton of similar plays for Flip and Ace. I want to see what these guys can do on offense.

That's pretty much what I want, I just don't want him to run around like Curry, that'd be too much for a guy his size, and the type of shots Curry is able to make on the move or in 1-1 scenarios are not the type of shots Markkanen should take, imho.

Gotcha. Kind of assumed this much. Was just curious.

[pickIBL]

It's gonna be awhile before the jazz get competitive again. Keep him healthy. And he'll probably get moved at some point. It doesn't make sense for him to waste his prime, and the jazz can bank more assets.

[Daddy 801]

It's gonna be awhile before the jazz get competitive again. Keep him healthy. And he'll probably get moved at some point. It doesn't make sense for him to waste his prime, and the jazz can bank more assets.

When his value is good enough to get two high potential unprotected picks or three mid level potential unprotected picks I think he would be traded.

But it also depends on how good Ace is and who we get in the next draft. If Ace is good and the next player is good we have a squad and could keep Lauri. If Lauri is the third best player on our team we will be good. If he is the fourth we could be great.