Post#1817 » by bad knees » Wed Jun 20, 2018 5:39 pm
So when the Bulls draft Bamba to pair him with Lauri, which of them will guard the 4 when the other team goes small? I don't think either is capable of doing so, and I have yet to see any team that can keep two bigs on the floor when a good team goes small against them. I have seen enough of Lauri to believe that he can guard the small ball 5's. I don't think he's capable of guarding the 4 in this situation. I know that Bamba's fans think he is capable of guarding on the perimeter, but I have seen no evidence of this, and I highly doubt that he will be capable of guarding a small ball 4. So one of them will have to come off the court.
The only big in this draft who can guard small ball 4's is JJJ. He and Lauri can play next to each other, all game, against any lineup that the other team wants to throw out there. And if a team goes small, Lauri and JJJ will be able to take advantage of mismatches - maybe not right now, but they are young and can develop post games. Plus JJJ can already shoot the 3, and he is a better rim defender than Bamba because of his athleticism, quickness and leaping ability. If the Bulls trade up to 4, the best option is JJJ.