He's been playing poorly and it's a "what have you done for me lately" fanbase as well as a league.
Zubac had a pretty good 7-8 game stretch and has now had a bad 5-6 game stretch or so in about 7-8 minutes per game.
He very obviously can rebound, he pulled down 3 in about 7 minutes of playtime and got 5 in 9 against Denver.
Rebounding is not my concern.
My concern is more so his ability to defend the pick and roll as the last line of defense.
Him having to step out on a guard to defend them going to the basket is going to be about as effective as Lopez would be in the same situation, so I care more so about him on the help side, and him as the last line of defense, so that's what I'm looking for.
Also Zubac can indeed run the floor fairly well as we've seen him do it numerous times at this point, and he's also a good rim runner off the pick and roll.
All these are attributes he has and has shown on a consistent enough basis to point to them as strengths.
Where he struggles is his strength, timing and guarding out on the perimeter. That is where I see him struggle the most.
I don't expect Zubac to be a center that can switch onto point guards though, I see him like I see Lopez to be honest.
Given that he's only 21 and in his 2nd year at the position that takes the longest to develop at, I like some of the things I've seen, and dislike other things I've seen.
But where Zubac needs to improve the most is his timing above all else.
So before ya'll blow up Bryant as the second coming and saying he should get minutes over Zu, he has looked less prepared and successful than Zu against NBA competition and less polished than him in the G-League. There's a reason Zu gets minutes and Bryant doesn't.
So if Zu doesn't deserve any minutes, than neither would Bryant, as he's less prepared, more raw, and less successful against actual NBA competition.
Zu will be fine. What I'd personally like to see them go back to is the pick and roll he and IT had some chemistry at when they got their minutes together.
Do not know why we've gone away from that pick and roll attack, as attacking on the pick and roll was something Zubac was good at both last year and this season when he's had the opportunity. _________________ How NBA 2K18 failed the All-Time Lakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxMBYm3wwxk
Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 18224 Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 7:11 am Post subject:
LAkers 4 Life wrote:
durden-tyler wrote:
Still a big liability defensively IMO, I don't see any progress...
This. Zubac's potential role with this team will be whether he can be a player for them on the defensive end. He's got some decent offensive tools to work with, but defense and rebounding need to greatly improve. He's so young though that it may take quite a while for him to grow into his role.
I agree about the defense but what "offensive tools"? I've rarely seen Zubac score when there's a defender between him and the basket. When rolling off that high screen if the defense rotates he can't change direction because of his poor footwork and balance so his only move is that soft 10ft push shot. He gets his shot blocked at the rim more than any seven footer I can recall which is a problem because he lacks offensive weapons outside of two feet from the rim.
Zubac shows a 10 foot baseline jumper every blue moon but nowhere near enough to be considered consistent. His one post move is that flat right-hand jump hook that clanks off the front of the rim more than it goes in. He shows little feel for the game or passing instincts that I've noticed.
This year's draft looks to have a lot of big men even in the late part of the first round. Those players may be raw or sub-par athletes but Zubac is both. With our increased pace one of the best things a center can do for our offense is to get defensive stops and rebounds and start the break but Zu isn't even a good rebounder. _________________ "Suck it up. Don't be a baby. Do your job." - Kobe Bryant
Joined: 09 Apr 2012 Posts: 1971 Location: Southern California
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 7:58 am Post subject:
This guy is soft as toilet paper.
Not seeing much from him. He def has some skills and talent but he's dough. Working hard on your body and game in the summer rather than coming in like a fat arse may help. _________________ 17 time World Champions
Still a big liability defensively IMO, I don't see any progress...
This. Zubac's potential role with this team will be whether he can be a player for them on the defensive end. He's got some decent offensive tools to work with, but defense and rebounding need to greatly improve. He's so young though that it may take quite a while for him to grow into his role.
I agree about the defense but what "offensive tools"? I've rarely seen Zubac score when there's a defender between him and the basket. When rolling off that high screen if the defense rotates he can't change direction because of his poor footwork and balance so his only move is that soft 10ft push shot. He gets his shot blocked at the rim more than any seven footer I can recall which is a problem because he lacks offensive weapons outside of two feet from the rim.
Zubac shows a 10 foot baseline jumper every blue moon but nowhere near enough to be considered consistent. His one post move is that flat right-hand jump hook that clanks off the front of the rim more than it goes in. He shows little feel for the game or passing instincts that I've noticed.
This year's draft looks to have a lot of big men even in the late part of the first round. Those players may be raw or sub-par athletes but Zubac is both. With our increased pace one of the best things a center can do for our offense is to get defensive stops and rebounds and start the break but Zu isn't even a good rebounder.
Zu gave me such high hopes that first summer league and training camp. Hard to believe how much he's regressed. He was showing such a natural feel for the game and now he always looks so lost and gets bullied by smaller players. Disappointing.
The new regimen/low body fat program mapped out by Lakers didn’t work for him. Not sure if he has bad eating habits or daily routine but the guy doesn’t resemble anything close to his rookie form.
He can’t jump, he is extremely slow and most discouraging is how often smaller players block his shot, strip the ball or get rebounds over him.
I don’t know what the answer is, but he is not the player that looked so promising his rookie year and who knows if he will get it back. I don’t think the Lakers are sure of what to do with Zu.
Joined: 30 Nov 2006 Posts: 33474 Location: Long Beach, California
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:40 am Post subject:
adkindo wrote:
venturalakersfan wrote:
CalisFinest wrote:
He doesn't deserve any minutes tbh. He's just too slow for the game. Bryant needs to be getting these minutes.
Who also is slow.
very...I think Zubac may actually have quicker feet than Bryant
Bryant has quicker feet than Zu. Just look at the plays he sometimes makes on offense. You never see Zu moving like that. As such, Bryant's problems are more fundamental. He has poor defensive technique. Without a doubt, especially in regards to the current NBA, Bryant had a higher upside.
I'm inclined to believe that what we have seen lately with Zu is more reflective of who he is than what we saw initially. Seems that whenever a player starts getting minutes, they initially play their best ball and then there is a drop off once defenses game plan for them. Its happened with Zu. He also had completely stopped using his counters, which is why he is getting blocked so often. A lot of it is a confidence and mental issue, but a big part is that he just isn't good. You would expect to see more from him at this point, but he hasn't improved at all since last year.. maybe even regressed. _________________ LakersGround's Terms of Service
If Zu had looked like this last year as a rookie, then came in this year and played the way he did as a rookie, we would've been blown away by how much he'd improved. That's what makes it clear that he's regressed.
You expect a rookie to build on what he accomplished the year before. You expect to see a leap. But if there's no leap, you at least expect marked improvement in certain areas, and just a better player all around. Zu isn't better than he was as a rookie. A better version of what he was last year would have a solid case of starting at C next year if Lopez leaves. _________________ “Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and savoring God. And people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there."
- John Piper
Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 18224 Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 2:44 pm Post subject:
It could be he hasn't regressed but defenses adjusted to him this season and his skills didn't progress to compensate. _________________ "Suck it up. Don't be a baby. Do your job." - Kobe Bryant
It could be he hasn't regressed but defenses adjusted to him this season and his skills didn't progress to compensate.
I don't think that's it. That's too restrictive to account for how poor he's been across the board. It's not just an offensive thing. _________________ “Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and savoring God. And people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there."
- John Piper
Joined: 17 Jun 2003 Posts: 6287 Location: Central Coast
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 4:13 pm Post subject:
So far Luke is giving those backup minutes to Zubac and not Bryant. But with Lopez playing better lately, Zubac's impact ahs been less. _________________ LAKERS 2019-2020: NBA World Champions!
If Zu had looked like this last year as a rookie, then came in this year and played the way he did as a rookie, we would've been blown away by how much he'd improved.
Except he did, for about a 5-6 game stretch when Luke finally started giving him minutes this season post ASB. His last few have been bad though.
Inconsistent I guess is the best you could call it.
Again, I'd like to see them go back to that pick and roll game him and IT had going for them.
But with Lopez's play really taking off, his minutes have been lessened and he looks out of rhythm like he was looking when he wasn't getting minutes prior.
I've seen enough from Zubac to see he's obviously improved in aspects, he's faster than last year, runs the floor better and is more explosive and in better shape. Those things were very clear.
He's still not an NBA starting center yet, and it's year 2 of his development when most centers don't really come into their own till year 4'ish unless they're "special".
Still a lot I like about Zubac and yes still has more to work on as a young player. _________________ How NBA 2K18 failed the All-Time Lakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxMBYm3wwxk
If Zu had looked like this last year as a rookie, then came in this year and played the way he did as a rookie, we would've been blown away by how much he'd improved.
Except he did, for about a 5-6 game stretch when Luke finally started giving him minutes this season post ASB. His last few have been bad though.
Inconsistent I guess is the best you could call it.
Again, I'd like to see them go back to that pick and roll game him and IT had going for them.
But with Lopez's play really taking off, his minutes have been lessened and he looks out of rhythm like he was looking when he wasn't getting minutes prior.
I've seen enough from Zubac to see he's obviously improved in aspects, he's faster than last year, runs the floor better and is more explosive and in better shape. Those things were very clear.
He's still not an NBA starting center yet, and it's year 2 of his development when most centers don't really come into their own till year 4'ish unless they're "special".
Still a lot I like about Zubac and yes still has more to work on as a young player.
He is a project. And as we have seen from Randle's case, improvement is incremental in most cases. Past season, he probably focused more on this physique, and that is understandable. Hopefully, this offseason, he tries to bind them all together, and hopefully add a 3 pointer.
IMO, if he can add a 3 pointer, he is back into the game as our future core. It is a big if though
AS long as Zubac keeps continuing to improve his explosiveness and working on his body, then we'll start to see more dividends. I'm honestly surprised he did as well as he did at 19-20 and 21 against pros. He's solid for what's considered a 'project'. Most projects have much more to work on (such as a Thomas Bryant). In that regard Zubac is ahead of the curve.
I do want to see more consistent minutes for him tbh.
But with Brook playing so well, I don't think he will.
Zubac obviously plays better in his 12-14 min stints than he does with his 6-7 minute stints.
But yeah the stuff he's done as a 19-20 year old to just turning 21 this year is solid for a project center
One of the biggest things I want to see Zubac do however and fix as of the last 3-4 games.
Is when he gets a rebound he brings it down, but in doing so isn't minding his surroundings, he's either looking at the basket or a teammate to pass it to, but he isn't watching for other players coming behind him to poke it away or try to take it away.
That kind of court awareness after he pulls down a rebound and taking the ball back up high after the rebound so it can't be taken is something I want to see him. _________________ How NBA 2K18 failed the All-Time Lakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxMBYm3wwxk
He's just turned 21 years old and he would be a sophomore or junior in college right now. Just play more minutes for the rest of the season and hopefully he'll improve next season and afterward.
Joined: 13 Jan 2002 Posts: 7925 Location: Lake Forest
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:15 am Post subject:
We need to find a way to get him reps in the G-League or time with the Lakers. Watching G-League games, he's completely frozen out of the games. None of the guards can feed him on a P&R, and the next post entry I see will be the first.
He's a project, but he's also not getting much practice.
sure defenses have, I would say, "noticed"? him, I doubt anybody spends more that a few seconds preparing for him but Zu is looking like, "help me, help me" out there. He's not decisive at all in any of his movements and it's like he's seeing things for the first time on defense, he doesn't appear to anticipate anything. Maybe he's lost strength with the weight loss and it's causing him to lose confidence once he gets out there and smaller players are pushing him around but it's year two for him. He needs to pull an Andrew Bynum and show up ripped for his third season or he'll be out of the league.
I much rather have Boban then Zu, both are slow but Boban is a bigger presence and has a better chance to find a role on a team, he’s also a FA this summer I think so that’s 1 potential Zubac replacement.
I have the impression that the Lakers are trying to build Zu's value so they can get an asset for him this offseason if not use him as an asset in a Deng deal. _________________ Austin Reaves keeps his game tight, like Kobe Bryant on game night.
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but Zu is looking like, "help me, help me" out there. He's not decisive at all in any of his movements and it's like he's seeing things for the first time on defense, he doesn't appear to anticipate anything. Maybe he's lost strength with the weight loss and it's causing him to lose confidence once he gets out there and smaller players are pushing him around but it's year two for him. He needs to pull an Andrew Bynum and show up ripped for his third season or he'll be out of the league.
