[ChammesParticipant]

I’ve been critical of him as a prospect and severely underrated him as a player, but Lauri Markkanen has put up almost indentical numbers to Kristaps Porzinigs, but KP is considered the far superior player by how I see things, but why? Let’s take a look at the side by side comparison between the two

KP- 17.8/7.1/2 BPG/43.7%

Lauri-16.7/8.2/.6 BPG/43.2%

So why are people underestimating Lauri’s potential so much? If he was healthy I think he would have a higher point total, and he’s a better rebounder and has potential as a playmaker and ball handler. He needs to improve on defense, but I think Markkanen could be one of the elite PFs for years to come, and I think I would take him over KP.

 

[SeattleSuperChronicsParticipant]

The numbers may be similar but the highlights are no where near the same. 

[ChammesParticipant]

I don’t even know what to say to this lol 

[SeattleSuperChronicsParticipant]

I’m saying if you actually go look at the tape you see Lauri is really nothing more than a catch and shoot 3 point shooter while KP plays a MUCH more physical brand of basketball. Lauri will not be much more than pretty good 3rd guy. KP is a corner stone franchise player. 

[ChammesParticipant]

When I watched him I actually saw him crest for himself more then I thought he would. His handle is tight and he can create for others a little bit. I see he’s still getting underrated on here as well lol 

[mowestenParticipant]

I like  Lauri a lot, but, remember Porzingis is a little different player, showing the ability to block shots at a high level. He was leading the league when he was injured. If he can stay healthy, his ceiling as a player is a shot blocking version of Dirk. That is really unique.

To me, Laurie needs to take another step in his development and I think he can. He has the potential to be the leagues best stretch 4 and average 20-10 this year. He has been forgotten a little, but that’s a product of not being on a relevant team. 

 

[ChammesParticipant]

what do you think his ceiling is? I really hate the Kevin Love comp considering he’s bigger, a better athlete and imo has more potential offensively. 

[SeattleSuperChronicsParticipant]

I doubt Lauri ever reaches what love was his last years in MN. People forget just how good of a rebounder and passer love is.

[ChammesParticipant]

Lauri is an underrated ball handler which is something Kevin Love didn’t much of in Minnesota. 

[KerouacJackParticipant]

 People are higher on KP because last time we saw him he was a legitimate all star shooting 40% from three and quickly becoming one of the leagues best shot blockers. While KP has been injured let’s not pretend that Markannen hasn’t missed good chunks from both of his seasons. Lauri could become very good, maybe an all star, but I just do not see him becoming a transcendent talent like KP could become. 

[OhCanada-Participant]

 I dont talk about Markannen to most people on this site. Its clear nobody watches him play yet everyones got an opinion,

[SeattleSuperChronicsParticipant]

I watched Markkannen live on two different occasions when he was with Arizona.  

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

Independent of health concerns, I’d rather have porzingis and it’s not particularly close. Offensively,their games are pretty similar but makannen  doesn’t  project to be nearly the difference maker on the defensive end of the floor that porzingis has shown he can be when healthy. 

[juves4783Participant]

i’d rather have KP.  i think he is a tier above lauri because i think he is more athletically gifted in his ability to guard on switches and make up distance to block shots.  offensively, i agree it’s a wash.  both are talented, strecth bigs with nice touch.

but these comments are pre-injury too.  KP could’ve lost a step. 

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Markkanen has missed 30 games last year. It plays a role. Another factor, and one that will persist, is that he sees less of the ball when sharing the court with Zach LaVine. Markkanen has the offensive potential to be on the level of a Bosh or Aldridge or Porzingis. His skill level is elite for a 7-footer, and can score in any number of ways. Standing on the weakside waiting to see how LaVine’s iso goes is not going to maximize his potential. Frankly, the same can be said of Wendell Carter and Otto Porter. They have a skillful and versatlile group of guys, but have rarely show it off in order to have a bunch of "my turn, his turn" possessions. The third factor, that connects to the last one, is that they aren’t a particularly well-coached team. Some of this simply might have been a reflection of firing Hoiberg and replacing him with a seemingly opposite-minded coach in mid-season, but even after the switch to Boylen the Bulls still had far too many no-show games. They still ended up trying to let Zach LaVine try to be their Russell Westbrook or James Harden while diminishing the opportunities of their other skilled players. That is coaching. Man for man, other than having a center who could lean on the full sized centers of the league, and those guys will feast on the Bulls this coming season, they have a talented team. If Popovich coached last year’s Spurs to 48 wins in the West, he could probably get this Bulls team to 50-plus in the East. A lot of what has been done in Indiana could be replicated with the talent on the Bulls roster, but it is so far from reality that it seems farcicle.

[r377Participant]

 Agreed with LeVine trying to be the next Padbrook and not distibute well to other players

[r377Participant]

 From scouting in college I could see he was a very good shooter but not a great defender.

I thought he might be a Ryan Anderson type and get 16ppg, but to his credit he out did my expectations and ended up with nearly 19ppg in only his second season.

From that draft class Donny Mitchell leads them with 23.8ppg last season.

Both Kuzma and Markinnen are tied with second 18.7ppg

[Author]

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