RADIO
Lauri Markkanen 2019 Player Outlook
5 years agoChicago Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen took a big step forward in 2018-19, upping his scoring numbers from 15.2 points per game to 18.7 and averaging nine rebounds a night, but he managed to make only 52 appearances, which is a worrying sign after he already missed a chunk of his rookie year. However, when healthy, Markkanen is a good fantasy asset, and he's got bags of potential as a sharpshooting seven-footer. The 22-year-old Finn had a tough time sinking his treys following the All-Star break, but he managed a solid 36.1 percent efficiency for the whole year. He averages a lot of three-point attempts per game, so you have to learn to live with his lowly 43 percent overall shooting, but the hot stretches like he had in February are surely worth it. Markkanen went for 26 points and 12.2 rebounds per game in February, posting eight double-doubles in 10 games. He had nine boards in the other two. Markkanen doesn't offer much on the defensive end and the ball stops moving when it's in his hand -- he has 1.3 assists per game for his career -- but he still has time to grow as a player and hopefully, the worst is behind him injury-wise.
