Lauri Markkanen - Utahin Marsalkka: All-NBA Snub

[CardiacCavs]

Some good news, per Chris Fedor, only $6M of the $18M in Lauri's final year is guaranteed.

 

[NMCav]

The point of the trade should be to make your team better. This could possibly make us better, but it looks like we are immediately worse, and only if LM improves a lot are we going to be better in the medium to long term because of this trade.

If it was for the wing we needed, then fine, but for someone who is a little better at shooting and worse in everything else, it doesn't make sense to use our best trade chip.

Lauri is more then a little better at shooting then Nance. He's shot better percentages then Nance on twice the volume. But the rest I agree with.

 

[ZooCrewDude]

I'm fine with the trade considering Nance's injury history and trajectory. Lauri solves for the issues we had spacing the floor (Nance, despite his improvements at the 3 will never be a true stretch threat).

My concerns center around fit/role; Lauri was dissatisfied with his role on the Bulls which led to his mutual departure. Many in Chicago thought he didn't have the right attitude for a young team, which is the opposite of what Nance brings. I do think that Lauri's game and mindset was probably more impacted by poor guard play in Chicago which hopefully is resolved by Garland's progression as a floor general (although we'll need to keep our eye on Sexton's influence on his fit with the team). I hope that he's not a player that feels entitled to a starting spot or will pout. We'll see.

 

[sailfish]

I think Markakken gives Mobley the flexibility to figure out what he does best and who his ideal pairing in the front court would be. I think how Mobley progresses will dictate who we end up moving between Markakken and Allen. I guess it's easier to move on from a guy than to try to aquire that talent later.

That's a good point. Mobley is so thin that it's still hard for me to see him as a center, but only time will tell. The trade could make either Markkanen or Allen expendable down the line. Love needs to be gone ASAP.

 

[Kiddo]

The dudes pick and roll game is lethal. Love his passing as well.

He ain't no Nance jr though... lol

 

[Cavsfan1985]

When I step back and look at this, this is my view.
Positives:
I do love the player fit in Lauri Markkanen, he can play with both Mobley and Allen and help space the floor. I think this is huge with us being such a guard focused team. We need to be able to create lanes and he will allow us to do this. I also think this allows Mobley when he is on the floor with Markkanen to get more space and work on his play making. I can them using Mobley a lot at the top of the key and Markkanen in the corner really opening up the lanes and letting Mobley be more of a playmaker then scorer.

Negatives:

• We gave up one of our best all around defenders, who was a leader when he was on the court.
• We made the team even younger, which already was young, IMO really could hurt us from a leadership standpoint.
• We do not have a NBA quality starting wing (Okoro) is not a quality starter at the 3, you could argue he could be at the 2, but definitely not the 3.
• While Nance was injured, he could give us mins at positions 3-5, Markkanen is a 4/5, so we lose flexibility.
• Did I mentioned we have no quality wings
• We have no trade chips now to get a quality starting wing. While I knew the Cavs would not be a playoff team, I had hopes that if we did move Nance for a quality wing, we could have been in the hunt for the 9th or 10th seed to get into the playoff tournament. Unless Sexton or Garland both become All Star level players this team is going to be hard to watch and find ways to win games.
• We are paying a back up big 16M+ a year for the next 4 years.

 

[I'mWithDan]

Channing Frye? So we paid a lesser version of Channing Frye almost 70M…

Channing scored double figures only 5 times in his NBA career, topping out at 12.7.

Channing's first 4 scorings seasons were 12.3 / 9.5 / 6.8 / 4.2 . Channing entered the league at 22.

Markkanan's first 4 scoring seasons have been 15.2 / 18.7 / 14.7 / 13.6.

Markkanan entered the league at 20. So, Definitely a lesser version.

Lauri has a ton of talent.......we'll see if the Cavs are better at using it.

A lot of these reactions are from people who have never seen him play.

 

[I'mWithDan]

I also think this allows Mobley when he is on the floor with Markkanen to get more space and work on his play making. I can them using Mobley a lot at the top of the key and Markkanen in the corner really opening up the lanes and letting Mobley be more of a playmaker then scorer.

This will also greatly benefit Okoro IMO. Straight line driving with strength and getting easy cutting baskets becomes far simpler when Lauri provides spacing gravity and Allen or Mobley are involved as the screener in the P&R.

Our defense will probably suck but our offense should be far improved with the additions of Mobley as a passer and Lauri as a shooter.

 

[Cavsfan1985]

Channing scored double figures only 5 times in his NBA career, topping out at 12.7.

Channing's first 4 scorings seasons were 12.3 / 9.5 / 6.8 / 4.2 . Channing entered the league at 22.

Markkanan's first 4 scoring seasons have been 15.2 / 18.7 / 14.7 / 13.6.

Markkanan entered the league at 20. So, Definitely a lesser version.

Lauri has a ton of talent.......we'll see if the Cavs are better at using it.

A lot of these reactions are from people who have never seen him play.

I am definitely a little guilty of not liking the trade because I did like Nance and I don't know Markkanan as a player. I see 3 point shooting big with very little rebounds who has regressed the past 2 years. I also had hoped that if we did trade Nance it would have been for a wing. I just hope the FO has some other moved lined up before the season starts. I just cant see us going into the year with the current wings we have on the roster.

 

[weepinwillow]

well, Dean Wade isn't feeling this move.

 

[Dr No]

I don’t get it. 17 million per on a guy we don’t really need who his drafting team had pretty much given up on.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Maybe.

Garland, Sexton, Mobley, Lauri, Allen

That’s an interesting lineup. I’m not sure I like Mobley at the 3. He doesn’t move as fluid as a Durant, IMO, but he is smooth. I’d like to see it.

We'd get absolutely killed on the boards.

 

[I'mWithDan]

I am definitely a little guilty of not liking the trade because I did like Nance and I don't know Markkanan as a player. I see 3 point shooting big with very little rebounds who has regressed the past 2 years. I also had hoped that if we did trade Nance it would have been for a wing. I just hope the FO has some other moved lined up before the season starts. I just cant see us going into the year with the current wings we have on the roster.

That is fair. I think Nance was pretty beloved.

One thing I will say, with a young player, I look more at what caused the regression.

The Bulls acquired Lavine, which slowly shifted a large portion of the scoring burden away from him.

Field Goal Attempts

Year 2 - 15.3 FGA (#2 on team)
Year 3 - 11.8 FGA (#3 on team)
Year 4 - 10.2 FGA (#4 on team)

Points Per FGA

Year 2 - 1.23
Year 3 - 1.25
Year 4 - 1.33

True Shooting %

Year 2 - .553
Year 3 - .560
Year 4 - .619

To me, an increase in efficiency with a decrease in volume would lead me to believe he was underutilized and not necessarily "worse". He was phased out of the offense by a bad org........how bad? Coby White was bumping Lauri down in the FGA per game list.

I don't know what his role is here......but I'll do some additional digging, as I think there is an analytical case to be made the Lauri has a lot of unrealized value.

The question will be if the Cavs can actually draw it out of him.

 

[ZooCrewDude]

We'd get absolutely killed on the boards.

Agreed... trouble is; I think we're going to have trouble on the boards regardless of who plugs into the 3. Like who is the SF that is an effective rebounding boost for us now that Nance is gone?

 

[Vipra]

Edit:

If it is at all possible to start (or even play) Mobley, Lauri, and Allen together (I do have serious doubts, though), then this gamble is worth it.