Markus' NBA success

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

1% chance Markus has an Isaiah Thomas career (not the HOF one, the other one).

10% chance of having an Earl Boykins type career.

89% chance he has a Frank Mason career.

[Hards Alumni]

1% chance Markus has an Isaiah Thomas career (not the HOF one, the other one).

10% chance of having an Earl Boykins type career.

89% chance he has a Frank Mason career.

Blue and Gold tinted glasses

[Galway Eagle]

1% chance Markus has an Isaiah Thomas career (not the HOF one, the other one).

10% chance of having an Earl Boykins type career.

89% chance he has a Frank Mason career.

What are the chances of a mugsy bogues career?

[The Sultan]

What are the chances of a mugsy bogues career?

0%.  Because Mugsy would not survive in today's NBA.

[Galway Eagle]

0%.  Because Mugsy would not survive in today's NBA.

How do you figure? It's less physical so he wouldn't be bullied as much, unless you mean outside shooting? Or has the average height risen?

[The Sultan]

How do you figure? It's less physical so he wouldn't be bullied as much, unless you mean outside shooting? Or has the average height risen?

I'm being slightly hyperbolic, but he couldn't shoot and did a lot of his damage as a fast paced player in a slow paced era.  I just don't see him having the edge today that made him successful then.

[tower912]

Not necessarily up to date, but a relatively recent list of sub 6 ft players in the NBA.

https://fanbuzz.com/nba/shortest-nba-players/

[The Big East]

Not necessarily up to date, but a relatively recent list of sub 6 ft players in the NBA.

https://fanbuzz.com/nba/shortest-nba-players/

Calvin Murphy was an all time great in the NBA at 5-7 . Was incredible in college.

Also was a very good guy and great baton twirler.

Maybe Markus should study some old footage of Calvin. Might give him some insights into how to leverage his skills.

[Silkk the Shaka]

I'm being slightly hyperbolic, but he couldn't shoot and did a lot of his damage as a fast paced player in a slow paced era.  I just don't see him having the edge today that made him successful then.

44" vertical didn't hurt, and he was an assist/steals machine. He basically had everything Markus needs to add, and vice versa.

[JWags85]

How do you figure? It's less physical so he wouldn't be bullied as much, unless you mean outside shooting? Or has the average height risen?

The height difference is a big thing. He was very quick and could dart in and out in a slower paced game as was mentioned, but it's one thing to avoid big/long slow centers in the paint. It's another when you have guys guarding the perimeter who are 6'7 and super long. I don't think he would be bullied as much as he would just get completely neutralized by length.

[Skip Intro]

The height difference is a big thing. He was very quick and could dart in and out in a slower paced game as was mentioned, but it's one thing to avoid big/long slow centers in the paint. It's another when you have guys guarding the perimeter who are 6'7 and super long. I don't think he would be bullied as much as he would just get completely neutralized by length.

Bingo.  In the NBA, Markus is going to have to regularly deal with defenders 6'5 and up who are as quick (or quicker) than him.  He's Jimmer Fredette, minus two or three inches.  Both were amazing college scorers, but the NBA is a different beast.  There's a reason that a guy like Tyrell Terry gets drafted and Markus doesn't. 

I think Markus will stick around under 2-way contracts for the next two seasons.  But he's a very smart guy, and if he hasn't made a dent on a roster by that point, he'll move on to the next part of his career, whether that's overseas or some other basketball-centric business venture.

[brewcity77]

44" vertical didn't hurt, and he was an assist/steals machine. He basically had everything Markus needs to add, and vice versa.

I think Markus could become a better steal producer. That is absolutely not part of Wojo's scheme and you can see it in the numbers. Howard's steal rate dropped every year he was here. I don't think it's because he got worse, but rather he stuck more to the defensive gameplan.

[Eldon]

Bingo.  In the NBA, Markus is going to have to regularly deal with defenders 6'5 and up who are as quick (or quicker) than him.  He's Jimmer Fredette, minus two or three inches.  Both were amazing college scorers, but the NBA is a different beast.  There's a reason that a guy like Tyrell Terry gets drafted and Markus doesn't. 

I think Markus will stick around under 2-way contracts for the next two seasons.  But he's a very smart guy, and if he hasn't made a dent on a roster by that point, he'll move on to the next part of his career, whether that's overseas or some other basketball-centric business venture.

+10000

[GooooMarquette]

Calvin Murphy was an all time great in the NBA at 5-7 . Was incredible in college.

Also was a very good guy and great baton twirler.

Maybe Markus should study some old footage of Calvin. Might give him some insights into how to leverage his skills.

Yep - Murphy was amazing to watch. Unfortunately, if Markus couldn't become an elite defender, ball handler and passer in his 4 years at MU, I doubt he's gonna do it now.

I hope I am wrong, but I suspect Markus will make most of his money in Europe.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Is the contract guaranteed?

[The Big East]

Bingo.  In the NBA, Markus is going to have to regularly deal with defenders 6'5 and up who are as quick (or quicker) than him.  He's Jimmer Fredette, minus two or three inches.  Both were amazing college scorers, but the NBA is a different beast.  There's a reason that a guy like Tyrell Terry gets drafted and Markus doesn't. 

I think Markus will stick around under 2-way contracts for the next two seasons.  But he's a very smart guy, and if he hasn't made a dent on a roster by that point, he'll move on to the next part of his career, whether that's overseas or some other basketball-centric business venture.

Jimmer Fredette is a great analogy. 

https://www.ksl.com/article/46369099/ben-anderson-why-isnt-jimmer-in-the-nba#:~:text=Measuring%20in%20at%206%20feet,front%20of%20NBA%20caliber%20players.

[MU82]

Stop moving the goalpost. First it was a career like McNeal. Then it's a "big assumption" that he even gets called up to an NBA roster. Now it's saying it's will just be meaningless games like Vander...

There is no homer. I never said he would have a long and illustrious NBA career. I said he's in a good situation and will get a shot with some actual NBA game time this year.  He's not fighting for a chance in Summer League, he's not added as a emergency stop gap mid season. For someone who does not get drafted, being a 2 way player on a good team with a coach who values young talent (like Mike Malone) is a great situation.

He may end up playing for a high level European team by his mid 20s like Shane Larkin who actually was a first round pick, but he's already got a leg up on McNeal and will play more NBA games his rookie season than McNeal did his whole career, that's just the situation.  And he's already in a far better position NBA wise than Vander was at that age.

Totally agree with this. And that's without even taking in the COVID-19 factor; at any time, the Nuggets could have 3-4-5 players who can't play for a week or two, and Markus will be one of the first two players who get the call in those situations.

Some folks obviously don't know what a two-way contract means.

I think Markus will stick around under 2-way contracts for the next two seasons.  But he's a very smart guy, and if he hasn't made a dent on a roster by that point, he'll move on to the next part of his career, whether that's overseas or some other basketball-centric business venture.

This is totally reasonable.

Yep - Murphy was amazing to watch.

My brother played against Murphy in high school, and it wasn't pretty. Murphy had a bazillion points by midway through the third quarter and his team won by a ton.

Murphy already was a superstar. My brother most definitely was not a basketball star at all ... although he did go on to get inducted in George Washington University's Athletic Hall of Fame after an award-winning crew career.

[Coleman]

Markus will make a little over $300,000 this year as a two way player. The two Two way players on each team occupy the 16th and 17th spots on the NBA roster. They get paid for 45 days on the NBA roster and the rest of the days on the G League. Practicing with the NBA team counts as a day.

Markus now has to make the most of his opportunity.  When Vander finally got his big chance a few years ago with the Lakers it did not work out. When Dwight Buycks got his chance on the Two Way, he played well and the Pistons extended his contract for the rest of the year, unfortunately there was a coaching change the next year  and he was the odd man out.

No days in the NBA are guaranteed. Markus could make as little as $70,000 this year if he is not called up.

However, due to relaxed restrictions, he probably will spend some considerable time as the 16th-17th roster spot in Denver this season. He won't get much time on the floor, but I bet he will be in a Nuggets jersey more than not, which is good from a financial perspective.

Career-wise, I could see him spending 2-3 years bouncing around between the G League and the NBA, then finally heading over to Europe to make some real money. Remember that he is still young (21), so he can afford to spend a few years chasing his dream, and then have plenty of time left to make enough cash in Europe to be comfortable for the rest of his life.

[Galway Eagle]

No days in the NBA are guaranteed. Markus could make as little as $70,000 this year if he is not called up.

I wouldn't have minded that to be my starting salary after college with zero loans just saying little might not be the correct adjective there.

[The Sultan]

For a professional basketball player, it's a pretty accurate word.  Especially in contrast to the $300,000 in the post he's quoting.

[Coleman]

I wouldn't have minded that to be my starting salary after college with zero loans just saying little might not be the correct adjective there.

Fair point. But when the NBA rookie minimum is $800,000+, and Markus could easily make $500,000+ in Europe, $70,000 is not a lot of money.

[Coleman]

The plus side of Markus being in Europe in a few years is that we could see him on a TBT roster sooner than later, which is fun for us.

[MU82]

The plus side of Markus being in Europe in a few years is that we could see him on a TBT roster sooner than later, which is fun for us.

Though it would mean neither Sam nor Joey will play for our TBT entry after their NBA careers flame out.

[The Sultan]

The plus side of Markus being in Europe in a few years is that we could see him on a TBT roster sooner than later, which is fun for us.

Cancer is never "fun" my friend...

[The Big East]

No days in the NBA are guaranteed. Markus could make as little as $70,000 this year if he is not called up.

However, due to relaxed restrictions, he probably will spend some considerable time as the 16th-17th roster spot in Denver this season. He won't get much time on the floor, but I bet he will be in a Nuggets jersey more than not, which is good from a financial perspective.

Career-wise, I could see him spending 2-3 years bouncing around between the G League and the NBA, then finally heading over to Europe to make some real money. Remember that he is still young (21), so he can afford to spend a few years chasing his dream, and then have plenty of time left to make enough cash in Europe to be comfortable for the rest of his life.

As part of the free agent contract offer in a case like Markus where there are likely multiple suitors , the players are informally told they will get close to the maximum amount of days. Also Days are different than games. Practices count as days. So yes theoretically, they could get no days and they would then get 77,500 plus the 50,000 camp money and that would be 127,500. NBA wants these kids in the US so they all pay the full allocation.

Also very few people are getting $500,000 in Europe. It is more like $8-10k a month plus some allowances car and housing. A handful of the best most proven players over there get the larger contracts. Guys like DJO who have proven their worth over a long time in Foreign competition do get paid.