IMO there are two reasons... 1.) The D-League is mainly guard oriented and bigs like him aren't used appropriately and in ways they would in the NBA. I think any reps at this level are good reps, but I can see the argument for why a guy like Zubac wouldn't fit in the D-League. 2.) Mitch seems supremely confident in this kid. Promising him a draft selection in the 2nd round, quietly comparing him to Marc Gasol, seeing him as a lottery talent, not seeing him as a draft and stash and finally saying they aren't opposed to him playing next year. Maybe they see him as a cheap backup that is ready enough to learn on the fly?
...could be. Brass probably wants Zubac to start playing immediately. Play with better competition within our own crew...grow from there. If that is the case, the rub here is that we hope he remains patient.
That would make sense if we're talking about him playing or not playing in the Summer League, but trodgers said D-League. Unless that was a typo, if Mitch doesn't see him playing in the D-League, it wouldn't have anything to do with his buyout, because the D-League doesn't start until after the NBA season starts. If he said no D-League that would mean he sees him as a rotational player. Like trodgers said, that makes little sense to me, because we always end our 2nd rounders and even late firsts to the D-League for a couple games here and there.
His buyout is irrelevant to DLeague. They can have him on roster for the season. They're confident of that. If he can be on roster, be can be in the DL. Summer league is the tricky one.
I wonder where they got that quote though? Mitch didn't say that on draft night that I recall... D-League seems like a must to me just to give him the proper time to develop. He's not going to be our starting Center.
Or maybe we're thinking too much and it has to do with the fact that we have zero centers on our roster Expectations aren't too high if we need Zubac to be Sacre 2.0 this season.
It happens to every one at some time: Who knows if we get Zubac...he'll be this upcoming season's Human Victory Cigar? Yeah...it's a reach but what the hell?
Have been watching a lot more clips on Zubac and I'm going to say it now. We have us a 19 year old better version of Marc Gasol at the same age. Incredible hands, good footwork already, ambidextrous around the basket, strong legs and lower body. There's virtually nothing I can find of Marc in video clips as an amateur or in Europe. Certainly not at 18-19 years of age. Best I could do was this crappy quality rookie compilation at 24 years of age with Memphis. 24 years old folks. 6 more years of development in virtually the same size package and build with our new rookie. Marc lists now at the same height and weight as Zubac at 19. 7'1" 265lbs. Our rookie is still a long way from his mature body or the 5-6 more years of development Marc had as a rookie at 24. Check first the level of coordination and footwork, hands and anything else you can gleam from this poor quality clip of Marc at 24. Then watch Zubac in all those same areas, except shooting in this clip below. They wanted him to stay by the basket and NOT shoot, but he says he can and will get better. Gasol is who he's modeling his game after. But I'd be willing to bet he is a lot more coordinated and roughly polished at 19 than Marc was. Freaking Mitch the magician and our good fortune to have him drop to where we could pick him up at 32. Wow!!!
Yeah, but no one thought Gasol would be anywhere near the player he is. That's why he was available 46th.
