I don't mean to compare them as the types of players but mainly as they are picks that people were excited for and won't work out in the end
You need to be a little more specific, because if you really mean that he can’t shoot (at all) then you’re full of crap. He can shoot out to 18-20 feet very well, like 67% well from 16 feet to the arc. He just needs to take it out beyond the arc
I don't mean to compare them as the types of players but mainly as they are picks that people were excited for and won't work out in the end
Well, if that’s your criteria, throw Lonnie on the pile, too.
First of all, folks are forgetting COVID derailed some of these rookies progress. This off-season is really the 1st time Luka will be working out with the big club. The whole team didn’t even have enough practice together. When Luka got some decent and condistent minutes in the Bubble, it was evident he was the best player on the court, every single time. And to say he wouldn’t make it to the NBA without shooting 35% or more in the 3pt, clearly didn’t watch his postup games in the bubble. Luka IS NOT just a stretch big, he has footworks and touches in the paint. Last season was an anomaly because of the Covid situation. This year should really be his 2nd year. He is no longer the skinny European kid. Without Aldridge, Lyles and hopefully Rudy, not popular to some, the PF/C position is less clogged. I expect Keldon to play some SF with Demar’s departure, again not popular to some. Bottomline, there are available playing time for Luka, and Lonnie, to prove themselves. Much will be expected next season. I hope the PATFO will committ to the changing of the guards. It might mean more losses, or not. But it will be fun.
The kid didn’t bulk-up for no reason. He will be playing in the paint. And if anybody watched him in the Bubble, he’s not a catch and shoot guy. He will take it to the rim.
You've seem pretty convinced that Luka is not good and that he doesn't play because he isn't good. I'd say his playing time has been mostly theoretical, and so looking at his stats as hard proof of anything is tricky. This last season should have been the time to get a better idea what we had with Luka. He did great when Rudy was out for a few games, but then Rudy came back from injury and Luka was put back on the shelf because, you know, we had a big playoff run in front of us. His minutes have been mismanaged horribly.
Given how much he has bulked up so quickly: would that affect his long range shooting touch as his fine motor/coordination skills catch up to a changed body? I'm asking since I don't have any personal experience of bulking up (or gaining any amount of significant muscle), but that seems like it could be one of the consequences? I mean, that neck?!?
I would think so. But he got great form and should get back when he’s gotten used to his new strength. I think he really worked on getting big first to go against NBA bigs. Remember his layups getting swat? To get bulky like that quick only shows his drive to get better. The kid is ready to battle.
Luka can shoot the ball but he lacks consistency at the line and from beyond the arc. But it's not as if he as terrible mechanics. To say Luka can't shoot is just hyperbole.
I need to see him play more to comment more in depth. I have limited watching opportunities bc the guy barely plays to begin with and of the gleague minutes, I only watch highlights, but him shooting the midrange doesn’t seem as much a part of his game. Its all a drive or 3s in the gleague highlights for example. His drives in the NBA often don’t end well since his finishing ability needs work and some of those gleague highlights wouldn’t translate.
If guys only watch highlights those would lead you to believe he can shoot the 3 but he can’t shoot well enough and has never done it well enough before. That was basically my point to the guys who watch highlights.
I think it’s obvious he was drafted for potential with the hope he’d fix his shot, gain strength and learn how to play.
Last edited by SAGirl; 06-10-2021 at 01:16 PM.
Eubanks is listed at 6’9” and their shoulders are the same height. Luka’s neck is longer I guess. But comparing their shoulders, this kid got big. If he has the same strength as Eubank, we got some enforcers guys
It is more of an agenda sort of thing than any sort of logical rational at this point. You just gotta ignore those people.
This team has lacked size for a few years and frontcourt depth that was decimated when LMA and Lyles fell out of the coach’s favor. In addition, Metu, who was once ahead of him for minutes, was not re-upped. He still couldn’t get rotation minutes. As I have said before that is alarming and it should raise concerns about him to any objective fan. I don’t see that as a good sign. He was very young and raw when drafted. I think this next season he needs to show game.
I did. Maybe premature on all of these kats but I don't have faith in really any of our players except White and Keldon.
who was he going to get minutes over this past year? Its no surprise he didn't get minutes when you consider, White, Keldon, DJ, Lonnie, etc all were benched for a large portion of their first 2 years. Pop's strategy all year was the small ball era to maximize and prioritize making the playoffs this year. Rumors of him retiring should rest assure the youth movement is here. UNLESS, we get a marquee free agent or trade signing (not likely).
That is maybe on 3 attempts total ( 2.9% of his shots ) relax.
exactly. not to mention that pop wasn't going to give minutes to a 2nd year player who did not have a summer league, an extremely abbreviated training camp and no G league to play in until the midway point of this season.
I was going to post an edit like this a few weeks ago with the line as a reference. I wish teams had to post a photo like this with everyone lined up side by side. Gives you a good idea if their "listed" height is accurate or for younger players, if they had a growth spur from one season to the next.
Sigh. The dudes almost 7 ft tall with leaps. He's shown an ability to get to the basket as well from the baseline. Dude is 21. Lol.
His shot is streaky but has the skills to be consistent...at 21.
Lol. You don't make decisions about him bring a marginal role player at 21. With his skill set, size, athleticism, and already demonstrated defensive capabilities.
You know .
This comment made me think I was taking crazy pills so I had to go back and check. Additional line for further reference:
It's not just the long neck, Luka's shoulders are comfortably above Eubanks' (unless you and I have different definitions of shoulders I guess?). Luka doesn't IMO have an unnaturally long neck; of the three rookies of that class, Weatherspoon was the crazy-long-necked one, and Keldon the crazy-short-necked, with Luka an inbetween. Also, look at those trapezoids on Luka, they're ing built - this kid is gonna be strong when he hits his prime. Will he stick in the NBA, I don't know, but he's put in work in the weightroom for sure.
E: btw it puts me off how ing stoned Luka looks in this pic, lmfao. Every time I go to edit it, I just gotta laugh. Dude is not photogenic, to be sure
Yeah, it's really, really useful, especially as you say for comparing young players' possible growth spurts. The NBA is an annoyingly secrecy-ridden league in terms of how tall their players are, and every year you hear about X or Y player "hitting a late spurt" or "adding 20 pounds of muscle" and that . I don't usually like comparing players' heights by pictures, but this one is just perfect, and Luka really stands out as having grown in both length and width of his body (those shoulders look insane compared to his rookie season!).
It'll factor in until he's used to his body. I mean the dude is still growing. Might end up 7 ft tall. We would have all been very happy with him at 6'10" He's clearly close to 6'11" now. Was drafted at 6'9". Yet unlike other lanky ass kids, dude's bulked the up and now has a legitimate NBA body. Tough to add muscle weight while still stretching and putting in that much gym time.
I have to say (and eat crow) if he pans out, he'll be the model for developing 19 yr old big men draft picks going forward.
actually Luka’s shoulders are a bit slumped in the picture while Eubanks is not. Luka definitely has about an inch on him is my guess.
Maybe he's trying to give the sultry bedroom eyes, lol.
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