If you could pick one to build a team around who would it be?? Watched all three recently and I gotta say as impressive as Ja and Zion are athletically I gotta go with Luka . Don’t ever remember a player being that polished at such a young age .
Zion , Morant or Luka
- Thread starter BobbyBReloaded1975
- Start date
IZion vs. Luka. I have a feeling this will be a debate for years to come.
Yes he is . I thought he would be a bust in the NBA but he has been outstanding .
Luka was probably the best of the four mentioned in the thread during the first third of the season. However, he has dealt with serious ankle injuries twice and that has slowed him down some. Trae and Luka are both ahead of the game offensively, but they aren't going to play any defense for you. I actually like Zion the best all around, but the weight issue with him can be scary. However, his energy picks up an entire team. You can just see it with the way New Orleans has played since he has been in the lineup. Finally, I am impressed with Ja's leadership. He has taken a team that was supposed to be tanking and it looks like they are going to make the playoffs.
Luka, I think Zion may struggle with weight/injuries as he transitions from being a teenager.
Luka will do this a long time in the NBA
Luka will do this a long time in the NBA
Trae and Luka are both in their 2nd seasons, but all four mentioned are phenomenal talents.
Luka. Zion has a higher ceiling, but also a lower floor. He could evolve into a generation talent, but, as others have stated, his potential for greatness could be easily derailed by injuries (as he is currently far more reliant on explosive athleticism, while Luka and Trae have more polished skills)
I have some trust in Mark Cuban's ability to put a solid team around Luka when he approaches his prime years. I hope Zion doesn't waste 7 years on bad Pelicans teams.
I have some trust in Mark Cuban's ability to put a solid team around Luka when he approaches his prime years. I hope Zion doesn't waste 7 years on bad Pelicans teams.
I heard a good description of Zion ... best case scenario Charles Barkley or Shawn Kemp pre drug problems worst case scenario maybe Amare Stoudemire .. tons of ability but injuries that haunted him his entire career . Well if he ends up like any of these three he will probably be in the HOF
Zion will increase a team's talent level as well as their record... Luka will increase the production of the players around him.
No way because you are going to have build a part of the team around Luka to cover for his defensive deficiencies. Zion is a potential two-way beast especially if he can get about 20 lbs. of that weight off. Many people think there is no defense played in the NBA. However, you have to play your man well enough where a team is not attacking you in the same area every time.
That’s a very good point . Luka is definitely a liability defensively especially against very quick PG like CP , Kemba , Lilliard, etc etc . Of course as you mentioned Defense in the NBA seems to be non existent anymore . Zion is definitely a monster defensively , he can pretty much guard and switch all five positions .
Yes, Gentry has him playing Center a lot especially against the small ball teams. His strength keeps bigs away from the basket. I watch a lot of all these guys on League Pass and Zion definitely has the best defensive potential of the four mentioned in this thread. Luka is a lot like Steph. He has the splash offensive plays, but you have to have the meat and potatoes defensive guys like Draymond Green and Klay Thompson for it to work. People tend to mention Luka a lot for the Mavericks because he does the scoring and handles the ball. However, if they are really ever going to do anything, Porzingis is the player they need to get healthy and breakthrough. He shows something on the defensive end along with a skilled offensive game.
NBA has been fantastic this year . A lot of very good young exciting players . I think the post Lebron / Kobe players are starting to take center stage and this is in a season where three of the biggest stars arguably- Steph , KD , Kyrie have barely played . So many guys that most casual fans are not familiar with are just having incredible seasons . Guys like Damien Lilliard , Bradley Beale , Nikola Jokic etc etc . Think the NBA is in a good place . Way better than MLB or any other non football sport .
Absolutely love it. People tend to make excuses to me because their type of players may not be successful in the league. I just love basketball and I don't get it that people like one level a sport and not another because of a rule change here or there or that guys make a lot a money at the top level. If you are one of the Top 300 in the World at anything I would you hope you would make money doing it.
Luca in his 2nd year is averaging-
2019
DAL
51 GP
33.1 MPG
28.4 PPG
45.9 FG%
9.4 RB
8.7 AST
This is better than any of the others mentioned. I take Luca since the OP wanted to know who you build around.
As an individual talent - Ja for me! The jury is still out on Zion in my mind. But, he has the most upside IMHO.
Good question!
2019
DAL
51 GP
33.1 MPG
28.4 PPG
45.9 FG%
9.4 RB
8.7 AST
This is better than any of the others mentioned. I take Luca since the OP wanted to know who you build around.
As an individual talent - Ja for me! The jury is still out on Zion in my mind. But, he has the most upside IMHO.
Good question!
And he’s one of the youngest players in the league . If you look back at Lebron and Kobe’s second season they were nowhere near what Luka is doing right now . Pretty amazing for a teenager
Similar threads
