Chuck Everett wrote:Wallace_Wallace wrote:Chuck Everett wrote:
If you factor in offense and defense this year, Zubac was all-NBA caliber. He's probably been their most consistent player (not their best) all year.
I won’t disagree with him being a consistent player and a consummate professional, but how would you rank him against the players that I mentioned (especially the upper echelon)?
If this is his new normal (I'm willing to be reasonable and say this is/was an outlier year), then I take him over Sabonis, Gobert, Kessler, Allen, Hartenstein, Ayton, Duren. Heck, I might take him over Adebayo, because Zubac is so big, he makes his presence felt on the offensive end pretty much every game, unless he's in foul trouble.
Which means, I think Sengun, KAT, Jokic, AD, Embiid and Wemby are better than him. But Wemby at this stage in his career would have a lot of problems with Zubac from a physicality standpoint in the playoffs. And Sengun is arguable because Zubac is probably going to make all-NBA defense.
Zubac is excellent at what he does: rim protection, rebounding, screen setting, and finishing in the paint. But calling him better than Sabonis, Gobert, or Adebayo implies he brings more value as a two-way player, which doesn’t hold up when you dig into their actual roles and usage.
Sabonis is the engine of the Kings’ offense. He’s a triple-double threat and elite passer. Zubac doesn’t create offense for others.
Adebayo is arguably the most versatile defensive big in the league. He switches, protects the rim, and can bring the ball up. Zubac struggles when pulled out to the perimeter.
Gobert is an DPOY candidate. Zubac’s good, but he’s not anchoring a top defense the way Gobert does without elite perimeter defenders around him (in Utah)
He plays his role well, but comparing him favorably to elite two-way centers who carry much heavier offensive and defensive loads is a stretch. Respect his growth, but let’s not overreact.
