re: Hypo: Who would you rather pay

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I feel like Lonzo can be an elite defender. When he plays really good defense is when the team does great. He rubs off on the team energy the most imo. Sadly our team energy isn’t high level.

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I think people undervalue his defense personally.

At the same time, he's not your ideal first option defender of an opposing team's best player. But that is how he was used last season. Statistically him and Dort drew the toughest assignments in the league last season, and Lonzo just isn't good enough to justify it.

But the rub is, because Lonzo can't be your half court PG, that means if you have a Lonzo, you need one. And if you also need that other person to be the better defender, you basically have Brogdon, Jrue, and Haliburton to chose from as guards, PG, Kawhi, Lebron as forwards. And one asked out and the rest aren't realistically available.

....Of course a lot of that COULD change if Zion/Bi can become just average defenders.