Couldn't we have just taken Lauri Markkanen as trade bait?

[stephen jackson]

We don’t do anything right per par

[CGD]

Meh, I still take Malaki, 25 FRP, 25 SRP.

[poopbox]

Lauri goes to Utah and then starts playing well. Knew he was a racist tbh.

[R. DeMurre]

So if Utah offered Markkanen for Malaki + the '25 FRP at the trade deadline, there are still multiple people here saying no to that? I don't get that at all. Spurs have 3 FRP in '25. I'd do that trade immediately. Markkanen is better than most people thought, and at the very least would be a huge trade piece.

[rankingtear]

He has more value than John Collins how the turntables.

[exstatic]

So if Utah offered Markkanen for Malaki + the '25 FRP at the trade deadline, there are still multiple people here saying no to that? I don't get that at all. Spurs have 3 FRP in '25. I'd do that trade immediately. Markkanen is better than most people thought, and at the very least would be a huge trade piece.

Two things we need to do:
1. Players out, assets in.
2. Crap players/bad contracts in, assets in.

Under no cir stances do you send assets out for a player who has been average to below average for years, but who has had a stellar first quarter of the season.

[R. DeMurre]

Two things we need to do:
1. Players out, assets in.
2. Crap players/bad contracts in, assets in.

Under no cir stances do you send assets out for a player who has been average to below average for years, but who has had a stellar first quarter of the season.

I'd say Markkanen was above average last year with Cleveland, where he adapted to predominantly playing SF beside Mobley & Jarrett Allen. Cleveland's record took an unexpected jump, just as Utah's has this season, and both times Markkanen was a major impact factor. I get not messing with the Wembanyama tank, but if the trade happened at the deadline the Spurs would only have 17 games left, and by that point in the season their place in the lottery odds would be somewhat clear. You sit him a few games with "back spasms" or something similar, and if by chance you land Victor (or Scoot or Amen or Filipowski) in the draft, you have a 7' shooter to pair with them. At the very minimum, you've got a guy who can be flipped for more assets if the fit somehow doesn't work. I'd say that's better asset management than hoping Malaki turns into a star, or a starter + a '25 FRP. Markkanen at this point almost certainly gets you more than that in a trade.

[XDT76]

I'd say Markkanen was above average last year with Cleveland, where he adapted to predominantly playing SF beside Mobley & Jarrett Allen. Cleveland's record took an unexpected jump, just as Utah's has this season, and both times Markkanen was a major impact factor. I get not messing with the Wembanyama tank, but if the trade happened at the deadline the Spurs would only have 17 games left, and by that point in the season their place in the lottery odds would be somewhat clear. You sit him a few games with "back spasms" or something similar, and if by chance you land Victor (or Scoot or Amen or Filipowski) in the draft, you have a 7' shooter to pair with them. At the very minimum, you've got a guy who can be flipped for more assets if the fit somehow doesn't work. I'd say that's better asset management than hoping Malaki turns into a star, or a starter + a '25 FRP. Markkanen at this point almost certainly gets you more than that in a trade.

If Markkanen can get more than Malaki and the 25 FRP, why don't Jazz get that instead of trading with us?

[R. DeMurre]

If Markkanen can get more than Malaki and the 25 FRP, why don't Jazz get that instead of trading with us?

I was only responding to other posters saying they prefer the 2 FRPs to Markkanen. I didn't propose that trade.

[exstatic]

I'd say Markkanen was above average last year with Cleveland, where he adapted to predominantly playing SF beside Mobley & Jarrett Allen. Cleveland's record took an unexpected jump, just as Utah's has this season, and both times Markkanen was a major impact factor. I get not messing with the Wembanyama tank, but if the trade happened at the deadline the Spurs would only have 17 games left, and by that point in the season their place in the lottery odds would be somewhat clear. You sit him a few games with "back spasms" or something similar, and if by chance you land Victor (or Scoot or Amen or Filipowski) in the draft, you have a 7' shooter to pair with them. At the very minimum, you've got a guy who can be flipped for more assets if the fit somehow doesn't work. I'd say that's better asset management than hoping Malaki turns into a star, or a starter + a '25 FRP. Markkanen at this point almost certainly gets you more than that in a trade.

Trade deadline is mid February. There are two months left in the season. That’s way more than 17 games, probably twice that.

Cleveland’s jump had much more to do with Mobley than Lauri. His numbers were pretty much his career norms.

[R. DeMurre]

Trade deadline is mid February. There are two months left in the season. That’s way more than 17 games, probably twice that.

Cleveland’s jump had much more to do with Mobley than Lauri. His numbers were pretty much his career norms.

You're right, I counted wrong-- it's 27 games after the Feb 9 trade deadline.

Markkanen's raw stats were about the same for the Cleveland year, but his impact numbers were better across the board, which has been something somewhat steady in his career-- one of the reasons I like him. For example, his WS per 36 numbers in his 6 year career are .079, .078, .084, .109, .127 (Cleveland), .157 (Utah). His BPM those years were -0.2, -0.2, -0.6, +0.1, +0.4, +2.3.... So with different teams, different personnel, and with him playing different positions, his improvement seems to me to be reliable and steady.

[TD 21]

He always made more sense than McDermott, both as true starting four with upside to double as a win-now piece and trade asset.