If "Bynum Will Never Be Special" .... How About Zubac?

:MitchQFT:

 

To be clear, my earlier post referred to the strange notion that "Bynum will never be special", which, aside from a moment and from Kobe, no one really held.

 

Zubac may not be as talented as Bynum, but he will become a bigger asset for us imo. The talent discrepancy of true centers, even from 2006 to 2016, is huge. A lot of teams are preoccupied with the perimeter game, and overlooking the importance of an inside anchor. Teams led by players like Lebron and Curry are anamolies, and not the norm. In reality, the Spurs with Duncan have been enjoying a dynasty for nearly 2 decades and we won 5 championships (should have won 2-3 more) with Shaq, Bynum, and Pau. Marc Gasol would have won a title or two if the Grizzlies had a couple decent shooters.

I have high hopes for Zubac, and for the aforementioned reason, I'd put him right up there with Russell and Ingram in terms of importance to our team success. Zu may turn out be our best-kept secret.

 

I think once you include the WPBP with Zubac's numbers, they will be amazingly comparable.

Zubac just doesn't have any numbers yet lol

 

Zen I have a hunch you may not have been around on Clublakers I am guessing in 2005? It's actually Kwame Brown's fault. I stumbled across the CL forum one day, never having known such a wondrous thing as a Lakers forum or message board existed. I was doing searches on line looking for news because rumors were flying the Lakers were about to get Kwame and he was perceived to be still good back then. Triple headed monster right? Bynum just drafted and Chris Mihm from the Shaq trade.

I'm going to say it was in the Fall of 2006, with Andrew just barely into his 2nd season and having shown some incredible "flashes" of potential at his very young age, that some unimpressed member there .....



...... started a thread called "Bynum Will Never Be Special" and was dead serious about it. In spite of what so many of us had seen with those flashes and short periods of impressive play and things he was capable of doing already. Well surprisingly there were a number of vocal CL members who felt the same as him and that thread became kind of legendary with its length and heated debate for months.

 

I am officially offended.

 

LOL!! Well what the hell then? I thought I gave a clear reference for this thread in my opening paragraph. Clearly it was not the case that for only a short period (months long thread) and mainly just Kobe at that point in time, didn't see much in Bynum's future potential.

 

With Moz most likely starting, Zu won't reach his potential until he earns quality minutes. So he won't have the Bynum development of being the only quality center in the team.

 

I remember the thread. And I remember the doubts.

So, to clear things up:

1. no one, in their right mind, thought that Bynum is NOT special by the year 2, especially around January, when the Shaq thing happened
2. everyone here agrees, I think, that at their respective NBA seasons, Zubac is far better
3. everyone hopes that Zubac would avoid the injuries, even if his development would not be as meteoric as Bynum's was

P.S.

I would imagine that out of surviving CL members here (or on LG), I would be one of 10 oldest. BDG, JSM. May be a couple more. I joined in 2003.

 

Drew's birthday was Oct 27, 1987. In his 2nd season 2006, my point of comparison he was about 7 months younger than Zu is this year, with his birthday being March 18, 1997. However by his second season Drew had the benefit of being in the NBA one season already, 2 Big Man camps and a year and a half of Kareem privately tutoring him plus the weight room and all the trainers.

Zu has had none of that prior to getting back from vacation in Europe with hot 4 yrs older GF like only a month and a half ago, after the draft and Summer League. No minutes or first season in the NBA yet, no Big Man Camp x 2, no still-in-decent-shape Kareem tutoring him, only Bill Bertka showing the sky hook. And only a month and a half or so with the weight room and trainers.

 

I hope that he has the same physical transformation Bynum had by his second season. He was becoming shape-y.
If Zu has the same type of physical development with no injuries - we are going to win it all in the next 5 years. He is that good already.

Just more athleticism and strength, with his skills as they are today - we have a championship roster. He'd be close to the best center in the NBA, immediately.

 

I'm using examples here so stay with me, If Zu turns into Marc Gasol, Ingram is Durant II and Russell is Harden with Defense, Lakers would more than likely end up having another Dynasty run. But this one would be more Spurs like. You would have these guys with an up and coming coach and kids that gonna really grow up together. Luke Walton is young and resembles Belichick in his ability to coach and figure out game plans, minus the ornery attitude. Then you add a Jordan Clarkson, Randle, Nance Jr and then one more superstar and the Lakers would have a true shot at dominating the league again.

I didnt want to bring this up because I detest free agency. This last one really left a bad taste in my mouth and I have a major EFF U attitude towards the league and would like all the draftees to develop and win it all with our own home grown. However, history says that usually doesnt happen. One or two outside players usually is needed. So with that, if the Lakers win 30 this year and 40 next year, Paul George becomes a free agent and the Lakers are in business if they can land a two way star in his prime who loves the Lakers.

 

Frankly I don't see Marc Gasol but Robert Parish. Long and great touch.

 

Just like the pic

 

He's got them European scrappers mentality in him. At worst this guys gonna a serviceable starting big man in his prime. IMO he's gonna be a darn good starter for us eventually. I like that he has time to grow and learn as well.