Potential International lineup for Team USA vs World future All-Star Game format
By Ben Handler
Backup Forward: Lauri Markkannen, Finland
Markkannen has to be on this team for his sharp shooting if nothing else. There’s a big drop-off in shooting and ball handling on the bench for the international team. Lauri may be the closest thing to a true wing player they have in the modern NBA.
He’d be an incredible floor spacer for this team and would feast on open catch and shoot three-pointers. He’s capable of doing so much more on offense, but it wouldn’t even be needed with the playmaking teammates around him.
It’s funny to think of a player as good as Markkannen essentially being relegated to a guy who sits in the corner, but he would be an amazing version of that player for this offense. A healthy diet of attacking baseline closeouts and burying corner threes would help make this team unstoppable.
This year he’s averaging 23 points a night on 39% shooting from three-point land on eight attempts per game. That’s with being the focal point of Utah’s offense, not a guy playing off elite playmaking guards.
Defensively he’d be reliant on his length against faster, more explosive, stronger players. He’d have to get into guys and try to disrupt as many jump shots as possible, trusting the rim protectors behind him.