Someone save Markkanen

[TheGeneral99]

Can Jazz fans explain what's going on with Ace Bailey...he looked very impressive in pre-season and now has gone quiet.

[Castle Black]

Lauri's playing great offensive basketball, but it seems like your typical "Pretty good player scoring lots of points on a bad team" situation. And he's a poor defender on a Max Contract which makes him far less valuable on the trade market.

Bigger problem with him though is he can never stay healthy. Guy's only played 60+ games 3 times in his 8-year career... That's a huge red flag. Hope he stays healthy this season for his sake cause he's a good player who's fun to watch, but it'd be really risky giving up multiple assets for someone like that.

[SkyHook]

Can Jazz fans explain what's going on with Ace Bailey...he looked very impressive in pre-season and now has gone quiet.

I don't have much, if any, faith in him. I'd pegged him as the most likely top-5 bust in this draft long before the lottery. Even though the Jazz drafted him, I haven't seen anything from him yet that compels me to change my mind. Kid's got a gorgeous midrange jumper from either elbow extended, but his BBIQ is severely lacking.

[Bolivar]

Bigger problem with him though is he can never stay healthy. Guy's only played 60+ games 3 times in his 8-year career... That's a huge red flag. Hope he stays healthy this season for his sake cause he's a good player who's fun to watch, but it'd be really risky giving up multiple assets for someone like that.

Sometimes the Jazz come up with some fake injury for him so that they can draft some bust at #7 - #10

[Billl]

He's been unofficially on the market for several years now and I'm sure lots of teams have called about him. The only once that can "save" him now is Ainge accepting a market based offer. I'm not holding my breath.

[cupcakesnake]

Well, here is another thought. As a 7 footer, Markkanen had between 4-6 rebounds in 4 out of 5 games. 0 steals in 4 out of 5 games. 0 blocks in 3 out of 5 games. He had a game where he didn´t go to the FT line once. He has the lowest TRB% and ST% of his career.

They haven´t played one decent team besides the Clippers, where you can argue that this team is impacted by a lot of turmoil and lost 3 games against the Suns, Blazers and Kings, 3 teams that aren´t supposed to make the playoffs.

So all that sounds like a player that scores a lot of points on a team without any other scorers while not really playing Basketball focused on winning.

Why are you writing out stats like this? Just use his averages. Saying he didn't get to the line one game, when the man posting by far the biggest free throw rate stats of his career? How does that help us understand his game?

(Across 6 games) Markannen's defensive rebounding rate is down. His steal rate is a little low. However... he's posting by far the highest scoring rate of his career, by far the highest free throw rate of his career, by far the biggest 3-point rate of his career. His assists are at a career high, while his turnovers are at a career low.

Utah is rebounding very well as a team overall, and even better with Markannen on the floor (+4.4 rebounds per 100 with Markannen on, and Utah is the 2nd best rebounding team in the league so far). They play a big bodied defensive center for the whole game (Kessler and Nurk average 48mpg combined) and play another big (Kyle Filipowski). Markannen playing a lot of minutes as the 3 in these big lineups, so there's no reason to stress about his defensive rebounding numbers. He's been a solid, but unspectacular rebounder for his whole career. He's 6'11" but he's skinny without great length. He still has some good fight and positioning.

We know Utah isn't winning much, and isn't built to win much. Markannen's skills as a shooter and rim attacker with size, are probably useful on almost any team.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Can Jazz fans explain what's going on with Ace Bailey...he looked very impressive in pre-season and now has gone quiet.

He shoots the ball differently each time to get off shots he shouldn't, his feel for the game is extremely bad, he's 30 pounds underweight, and he can't create shots.

He needs a consistent jumpshot form instead of shooting it differently every time just to jack up a contested shot.

[madmaxmedia]

Hes a "big numbers on a bad team" type of player. Never been to the 'offs and is 28 already

Really not a ‘Chise guy. Ain’t gonna win a c’hip

There's only one 'Chise guy, and he's a poster on this board.

[madmaxmedia]

Knowing Ainge, his asking price is a time machine carrying 1991 Michael Jordan, and 6 unprotected first round picks.

That thread asking "If Desmond Bane went for 5 1sts, what will Giannis go for?" should actually be about Lauri Markkanen. Though I guess you answered that question pretty well already.

[kg01]

Knowing Ainge, his asking price is a time machine carrying 1991 Michael Jordan, and 6 unprotected first round picks.

Way too realistic. Dan E. strAinge wants no less than 8 1sts and prime Kareem with MJ in the DeLorean.

[LuDux1]

DeRozan and Monk for Markonnen

[Nate505]

Save him from what, a massive contract and a starting spot in the NBA?

[TheGOATWill]

I'm sure Ainge is aingeing as hard as he can in search of the gobert package holy grail. I just don't think it's out there. Who is one piece away, has an all-in amount of picks plus 40-ish mil in expiring or otherwise flippable contracts?

[HadAnEffectHere]

I'm sure Ainge is aingeing as hard as he can in search of the gobert package holy grail. I just don't think it's out there. Who is one piece away, has an all-in amount of picks plus 40-ish mil in expiring or otherwise flippable contracts?

Do you think the Spurs are one piece away is the question.

[badpotato]

I'm sure Ainge is aingeing as hard as he can in search of the gobert package holy grail. I just don't think it's out there. Who is one piece away, has an all-in amount of picks plus 40-ish mil in expiring or otherwise flippable contracts?

Do you think the Spurs are one piece away is the question.

Not a piece like Markkanen away - that's the answer.

[peZt]

I'm sure Ainge is aingeing as hard as he can in search of the gobert package holy grail. I just don't think it's out there. Who is one piece away, has an all-in amount of picks plus 40-ish mil in expiring or otherwise flippable contracts?

Do you think the Spurs are one piece away is the question.

Not a piece like Markkanen away - that's the answer.

Other than the top 10 guys of the league, which the Spurs will probably not get, Markkanen is pretty much the best fit they could get. They need spacing, shooting and a PF. Markkanen is the best in the league in that category. I definitely think Markkanen would elevate this Spurs offense on another level, as much as nobody outside of the top 8-10 guys in the league can.

[badpotato]

Do you think the Spurs are one piece away is the question.

Not a piece like Markkanen away - that's the answer.

Other than the top 10 guys of the league, which the Spurs will probably not get, Markkanen is pretty much the best fit they could get. They need spacing, shooting and a PF. Markkanen is the best in the league in that category. I definitely think Markkanen would elevate this Spurs offense on another level, as much as nobody outside of the top 8-10 guys in the league can.

He's not good enough on defense to cost this much, I'd rather have Jaden McDaniels+ someone else for the same price.
I've also wondered if there was ever a pathway of returning ATL picks for JJ - this ship have sailed though.

[babyjax13]

Didn't he extend with the knowledge/communication that Jazz would soon be competitive?

Yes

[peZt]

Not a piece like Markkanen away - that's the answer.

Other than the top 10 guys of the league, which the Spurs will probably not get, Markkanen is pretty much the best fit they could get. They need spacing, shooting and a PF. Markkanen is the best in the league in that category. I definitely think Markkanen would elevate this Spurs offense on another level, as much as nobody outside of the top 8-10 guys in the league can.

He's not good enough on defense to cost this much, I'd rather have Jaden McDaniels+ someone else for the same price.
I've also wondered if there was ever a pathway of returning ATL picks for JJ - this ship have sailed though.

He's also not bad enough to not be able to be hidden by Wemby on defense. By having the potential GOAT defender, you dont need 5 plus defenders in all positions. Markannens offense is worth much more to Spurs than a worse offensive player but slightly better defender. Spurs need more offense and more reliable scorers. Not more defense

I defeinitely think Markkanen is the best realistic target for the Spurs. PRoblem is that the Jazz will probably want to have Castle in return and I probably wouldn't do that trade. IF there is any possibility to get him without givin up Castle or Harper, I'd do the trade in a heartbeat.

[SkyHook]

Didn't he extend with the knowledge/communication that Jazz would soon be competitive?

Yes

Mixed reports at best.