Nikola Vucevic and Spurs linked??

[alpha_HaZE]

This is so, so silly. You are taking really the only good year Vucevic has had (which happens to be a contract year) and acting like he’s got unlimited upside. He’s been in the league for 6 years and this is really the first time he’s ever been a positive offensive player.

His defense is actually a better than most would assume, but overall hes been no where close to LMA as an overall impact player.

LMA has been an all-star and all-nba player on multiple teams with different systems. Vucevic has done nothing.

One is going up and has a reasonable contract, and the other is going down and has a contract that prohibits you from bringing another star and with him we will never be contenders.

[FkLA]

Last season Aldridge: PER: 25, OBPM: 3.0, DBPM: 0.3, BPM: 3.3, VORP: 3.3, ON/OFF: 6.8
This season Vucevic: PER: 26, OBPM: 3.5, DBPM: 2.9, BPM: 6.5, VORP: 2.3, ON/OFF: 16.9

So yeah, in terms of metrics, so far it is safe to say Vucevic is having a better year than Aldridge's last season.

But regardless of that, what I focus more on is on their respective styles of play. Statistically they put similar numbers, the difference is how they get them.

As everybody already knows here, to get that "engaged" Aldridge you speak of you need to make him the focal point of the offense. He's a rythm player that needs touches on quan y and with frecuency.

Whereas Vucevic is more of a typical European big that gets his on the flow of the offense. You can give him the ball on the post and get him to work but he can also work the pick and roll, both rolling and popping up (not only from midrange but from the 3pt line) and he can also be a spot up player. He doesn't need to always be the first option of a play to be effective.

So, while both are similar in production and neither is a true number one, one needs to be treated as a number one option to produce while the other can actually produce while being a secondary option.

Missed WS which goes to LMA handedly. Still pretty surprising though.I didn't know Vucevic's advanced metrics were that good this season. If he maintains this level then there's an argument. I'm not sure he does though because they're such massive improvements over all his other years that the most reasonable explanation for it is probably just contract year/short sample size rather than him randomly becoming this good in his 8th year.

I actually don't agree that LMA needs a bunch of touches. He can be pretty sensitive but it's not like he needs 25 shots to be dominant. If he would just play like a man all the time, he can be such a bully in the post and he gets so many high percentage looks that he doesn't need that many touches to have big nights. These past few games for example, it hasn't felt like he's being force fed to where it's detrimental to the rest of the team. It's when he becomes a fadeaway queen that he's at his worst and becomes a ty volume scorer.

[look_at_g_shred]

Would rather trade Toronto 1st and patty for Taj Gibson

[gambit1990]

If you trade for Vucevic you wouldn't be getting rookie Vucevic, you would be getting the current version.

[TD 21]

I love how folks would just claim "Vucevic can't even hold LMAs jock strap" and just leave it at that feeling all superior without even the feeling the need of providing some kind of evidence.

It is 2019 people, the days of going by public perception or name recognition are over. Try to put some subtance into your takes, tbh.

Last season Aldridge: PER: 25, OBPM: 3.0, DBPM: 0.3, BPM: 3.3, VORP: 3.3, ON/OFF: 6.8
This season Vucevic: PER: 26, OBPM: 3.5, DBPM: 2.9, BPM: 6.5, VORP: 2.3, ON/OFF: 16.9

Good points. I do think they're closer than most people would probably think at first glance, but that Aldridge has been the superior player over time and that his '17-;18 was better than Vucevic's '18-'19 so far.

Again, the ON/OFF is skewed, because Aldridge's primary backup was Gasol, a starting caliber player, while Vucevic's primary backup is the aforementioned Bamba.

Aldridge leading an otherwise totally inept Spurs offense to 47 wins matters. Sure, their elite defense helped, but ultimately you still need someone to close out close games offensively and outside of games when Ginobili turned back the clock, is was generally him doing so.

Vuc never had a VORP over 3 once, including this year. LMA has several seasons over 3. But yes, after LMA’s worst first 20 games of his career compared to Vuc’s best start ever, Vuc is playing better.

Funny how you throw out years of data like that’s not the norm but won’t dismiss LMA’s worst 20 game stretch ever maybe like we should expect that (despite him turning it around massively already)

Also good points.

[apalisoc_9]

Vuc is lazy 60% of the time. You can say Aldridge is lazy at times too, but he puts in work majority of the time even when hes npt scoring.

Dont think people realize how lazy vuc is sometimes.

[FutureMan]

You really can find the strangest opinions on this site. Vucevic better then Aldridge?? Holy bias!

Anyway... Putting aside that debate. I could see a three team trade coming into play here. Maybe something with the Bulls?

Orlando - Pau, Lopez
Bulls - Mozgov, Pondexter, pick(s)
Spurs - Vucevic, Holiday

[DAF86]

Vuc is lazy 60% of the time. You can say Aldridge is lazy at times too, but he puts in work majority of the time even when hes npt scoring.

Dont think people realize how lazy vuc is sometimes.

Lazy in what aspects? His rebounding and defensive metrics (effort stats) have been pretty damn good almost for the entirety of his career.

[DAF86]

You really can find the strangest opinions on this site. Vucevic better then Aldridge?? Holy bias!

Anyway... Putting aside that debate. I could see a three team trade coming into play here. Maybe something with the Bulls?

Orlando - Pau, Lopez
Bulls - Mozgov, Pondexter, pick(s)
Spurs - Vucevic, Holiday

Yeah, as a Spurs fan I'm bias towards a Magic player in favour of a Spurs one.

[offset formation]

Vucevic can't even hold LMAs jock strap how is this convo even happening

[HarlemHeat37]

The problem with analyzing a player like Vucevic is the fact that he hasn't played a meaningful game in nearly 7 years..

It's tough with players like that, you don't know how much of their impact is a product of the opposing team not giving a against a bottom feeder..

[apalisoc_9]

Lazy in what aspects? His rebounding and defensive metrics (effort stats) have been pretty damn good almost for the entirety of his career.

On ball Screens, offball screens, boxout etc.

Defensive metrics tend to be infalted when you're the designated rebounder of your team. Hes also lazy defending the perimter. As Lazy as aldridge is sometimes, he still puts in work with on amd offball screens.

You need to watch vuc consistently to know what I mean.

[DAF86]

On ball Screens, offball screens, boxout etc.

Defensive metrics tend to be infalted when you're the designated rebounder of your team. Hes also lazy defending the perimter. As Lazy as aldridge is sometimes, he still puts in work with on amd offball screens.

You need to watch vuc consistently to know what I mean.

Are you a Magic fan or something? I have watched like 6 or 7 Magic games this season, I doubt a non-Magic fan has seem more than me, tbh.

[offset formation]

On ball Screens, offball screens, boxout etc.

Defensive metrics tend to be infalted when you're the designated rebounder of your team. Hes also lazy defending the perimter. As Lazy as aldridge is sometimes, he still puts in work with on amd offball screens.

You need to watch vuc consistently to know what I mean.

Facts, I hate to say.

[apalisoc_9]

Are you a Magic fan or something? I have watched like 6 or 7 Magic games this season, I doubt a non-Magic fan has seem more than me, tbh.

I watch more basketball than about 10 people combined in Spurstalk. I've watched them play 12 times this year and I usually end up watching them around 20 times a year.

Its usually thw west Coast teams I struggle to watch. Teams like the suns id probably watch 6 times a year.

[apalisoc_9]

Maybe if Vuc played for a winning team hed be more motivated. Who knows really. Its really hard to say because hes never had a single compe ive season.

Skillswise, he can be one of the top 5 bigs in the league but how that would translate with better players around is beyond me.

Im sure if he was playing with a kawhi leonard..hed be averaging less points and boards etc.

[Joseph Kony]

I love how folks would just claim "Vucevic can't even hold LMAs jock strap" and just leave it at that feeling all superior without even the feeling the need of providing some kind of evidence.

It is 2019 people, the days of going by public perception or name recognition are over. Try to put some subtance into your takes, tbh.

dude, you're seriously using less than half a season of good stats over 6 seasons and trying to act like youre making some hot intelligent take posting some cherry picked stats just stop. Let me know when he does it for more than 35 ing games

[Play Boban]

Vucevic is better than Aldridge and younger. The trade is a no-brainer tbh........

At least to anyone with a modi of basketball knowledge.

[FutureMan]

Yeah, as a Spurs fan I'm bias towards a Magic player in favour of a Spurs one.

Thats exaclty what I’m saying. You have such a distaste for Aldridge that you’re willing to say Vucevic is better... the literal definition of bias. Wanna try again?

[DAF86]

dude, you're seriously using less than half a season of good stats over 6 seasons and trying to act like youre making some hot intelligent take posting some cherry picked stats just stop. Let me know when he does it for more than 35 ing games

Why are you acting as if this is the first good Vucevic season?

This is his 7th straight season (out of 8) being a net positive player, 6th straight season with a PER of over 18 (with the first two being 14.3 and 17.8) and it's not like he is being effective on a small role, he has already posted 3 season of over 18 ppg and 5 seasons of over 10 rpg. All of this while playing with ty teammates. He has been consistently good for a while now.

[Payote75]

If you aren't giving up LA and get Vuc in a trade which is possible with some assets we do hold we are a tough match up for anyone. LA does not want to play center and Vuc is a very good three point shooter passer rebounder etc. he does a little of everything pretty well. ... you would have great spacing passing and a very pop Spurs like team. There might be some assets the magic would take probably not patty but combo of pick young player gasol contract .....it makes this team a real threat in my opinion.

[DAF86]

Thats exaclty what I’m saying. You have such a distaste for Aldridge that you’re willing to say Vucevic is better... the literal definition of bias. Wanna try again?

I think the bias is the other way around. Most of the folks arguing with me would be saying Vucevic is the better player if he were a Spur.

[FutureMan]

If you aren't giving up LA and get Vuc in a trade which is possible with some assets we do hold we are a tough match up for anyone. LA does not want to play center and Vuc is a very good three point shooter passer rebounder etc. he does a little of everything pretty well. ... you would have great spacing passing and a very pop Spurs like team. There might be some assets the magic would take probably not patty but combo of pick young player gasol contract .....it makes this team a real threat in my opinion.

Exactly.

For the record you certainly don’t have to give up Aldridge anyway. This is the Magic we are talking about here. I’ve been a fan of them for a long long time. That front office has hurt my soul for over a decade.

[Play Boban]

Why are you acting as if this is the first good Vucevic season?

This is his 7th straight season (out of 8) being a net positive player, 6th straight season with a PER of over 18 (with the first two being 14.3 and 17.8) and it's not like he is being effective on a small role, he has already posted 3 season of over 18 ppg and 5 seasons of over 10 rpg. All of this while playing with ty teammates. He has been consistently good for a while now.

Truth nukes

[Joseph Kony]

Why are you acting as if this is the first good Vucevic season?

This is his 7th straight season (out of 8) being a net positive player, 6th straight season with a PER of over 18 (with the first two being 14.3 and 17.8) and it's not like he is being effective on a small role, he has already posted 3 season of over 18 ppg and 5 seasons of over 10 rpg. All of this while playing with ty teammates. He has been consistently good for a while now.

you're comparing him to LMA though. and in pretty much all categories and advanced states LMA has him beat throughout his career up to now (obviously LMA has more seasons played), except maybe OBPM and BPM and they're still fairly even. Not only that, but Vucevic has never once played 80 games in a season and has had 3 season missing 15+ games a season. he's also never been a 3pt shooter until the last season and a half now, so its not like he has been a stretch C his entire career, and while he is shooting better this year, 31% and 37% arent eye popping numbers from deep. aside from one statistical anomaly the first 35 games this year, your boy hasn't been anywhere near as good as LMA over their careers, and is another guy putting up empty stats on a team. if he can sustain it for the whole year and string together a couple years of consistent play i'd agree with you, but until that happens no way he's better in any way than LMA