Matt Bonner role next season

[Spurs Brazil]

In his 1st year I thought he was doing well until his knee injury against the Wizards. When he came back he didn't get minutes but I think the coaches liked him because he got 3 year deal in the end of season.

This season even with Horry out he didn't get consistent minutes. He played bad one night, DNP the other, then a very good game like that one at Golden State.

When Pop decide go with Horry he was grounded in the doghouse.

What we really can expect from Matt Bonner next season?

Can he play solid minutes as rotation player?

What his main problem? Poor defense? Poor decision making?

I think Pop should give him minutes in the preaseason and the 1st 2 months of the season and see what he can do. If he fails, try to trade him.


http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/67/fullj.3693a03b005b71a57e5a1aadae933f07/3693a03b005b71a57e5a1aadae933f07-getty-80391826mc052_san_antonio_s.jpg

[picnroll]

Role: Fodder for a trade where Spurs give up assets to dump him.

[The Truth #6]

Most of the time his PT has less to do with his ability (granted, not very good) and more to do with Pop's mindset.

I don't care what some people argue, he was in the doghouse this year. And I've yet to see a player go in the doghouse that somehow comes out a better player afterwards, or at least, a player that gets any significant minutes. And how he didn't get at least a few more minutes when we had Horry on the team is a small mystery.

And once again, another player who's worth isn't any higher after he plays here. We'll probably trade him and our 1st rounder for Ricky Davis. Who knows what will happen with Bonner? I just hope they make a decision - either play him or move him.

[Big P]

I like Bonner, but he is not gonna cut it...we made a mistake(albeit a slight one) when we signed him to his 3 year contract. I am hoping that we can trade him to a team where he will get some PT , which will enable us to address some more pressing needs.

[ElNono]

The problem is that if you miss a defensive rotation in the middle of the season, Pop thinks you're not good enough and will shelve you for the rest of the season. Bonner wasn't a guy that couldn't play or give us minutes. He just was not given an opportunity.

[Bruno]

Can he play solid minutes as rotation player?


Yes.

[T Park]

I'm gonna say he gets one more chance this season.

He isn't making alot and isn't hurting anything financially IE Rasho or Malik.

[T Park]

Yes.

I agree, I think he, like Mahinmi, just needs the time this coming season.

Bonner, Mahinmi, Thomas, Oberto

I can live with that.

They would probobly add one more big.

If that were the case I would vote for a Patrick O'Bryant.

[kobyz]

i dont think Bonner is good enough to play significant minutes, i dont know what R.C and Pop was thinking about whan they give Bonner this big contract.

[T Park]

i dont think Bonner is good enough to play significant minutes, i dont know what R.C and Pop was thinking about whan they give Bonner this big contract.

He doesn't have a big contract :bang:bang:bang:bang:bang

[kobyz]

He doesn't have a big contract :bang:bang:bang:bang:bang

for him more than minimum is a big contract

[GrandeDavid]

SpursBrazil, eu acho que ele vai ficar pelo menos no training camp e cedo na temporada. O que nos precisamos muitissimo, e temos que torcer muito, e que Ian Mahinmi desenvolve ainda mais esta verao e consegue contribuir ao equipe no ano que vem. Sem Splitter, precisaremos muitissimo do Mahinmia e sua juventude e altura.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I wouldn't mind working him into the rotation. If he actually pans out, we can see a rotation of:
C Thomas/Oberto
PF Duncan/Bonner/Mahinmi
If we can also work Mahinmi into the rotation, that instantly gives us two more big man scoring options. :tu

[SpurOutofTownFan]

I would like Bonner to be part of the active roster next year - I trust with consistency he can be a really good player. I believe that was the mindset when he got his contract for 3 years - otherwise why would you do it?

From all the things Pop has done wrong I think this one was the worst - leaving this guy in his doghouse to die the entire season was ridiculous. Of course he had a couple of horrible games but then he got some good ones too and you could tell he was just rusty from being in the bench for so long.

If Pop doesn't think he will play him next season then I think Bonner is the player the Spurs can benefit the most on a possible trade. I would hate for him to become a spurs nemesis in the future while playing for another team though.

[Indazone]

Matt Bonner's role next year will be to sit on the bench and cheer his teammates on!!

[Indazone]

I like Bonner, but he is not gonna cut it...we made a mistake(albeit a slight one) when we signed him to his 3 year contract. I am hoping that we can trade him to a team where he will get some PT , which will enable us to address some more pressing needs.

:lol :tu

[Mr. Body]

for him more than minimum is a big contract

Yes. He wasn't worth more than the minimum and the Spurs outbid himself. League-wide it's not a terrible contract but it's more expensive than it should be. Plus, for a penny-pinching team $3 million toward the luxury tax is another bit of paralysis. Don't think they wouldn't love to have that money available in some form right now.

[Spur-Addict]

I agree, I think he, like Mahinmi, just needs the time this coming season.

Bonner, Mahinmi, Thomas, Oberto

I can live with that.

They would probobly add one more big.

If that were the case I would vote for a Patrick O'Bryant.

Bonner? NO. O'Bryant? NO. Bonner=Soft...He's a spot up shooter in a PF's body who plays no D at his position. O'Bryant? He hasn't proved anything at all. We're better off drafting a big before running after him. O'bryant is soft as well, he's frame is super thin. Additionally, I don't think O'B would give the offensive or defensive output desired.

[mrspurs]

whoever said they could live with bonner,fab,thomas,ian is... meaning no disrepect...out of touch with the rest of the league....we come back with those guys....noway we beat the top west teams.....and once you get into pops dog house, your practically done, ask around...pop will let decent proven role players sit the bence while losing games instead of playing them.......thats just plain dumb...pop needs to change his ways, he has somewhat, but his myway or the highway is what keeps other top notch players from coming to sa....we have togo to other countrys where they are looking for money and can handle being yelled at, cos at the end of the day...the water is still drinkable....holt needs to stop thinking his city can be built by cheap hard working hispanics and start paying top dollar for stars...(only old farts will take a pay cut, and only old farts can be yelled at)....go spurs go

[angelbelow]

i think we should trade him for a need, buy him out, or force him to retire. he wont help next year.

[ChumpDumper]

If there is a good deal, trade him. Otherwise he can play. There is no tax crunch this coming season so talking about that is useless.

[Avitus1]

If we can trade him to get something better then I'm all for it. Though I'm not to sure if we should trade him and a first round draft pick. Bonner played well when he had minutes I'd honestly like to see him with a bit more if Pops keeps him.

[rascal]

Get rid of him. Pop sees him more than anyone else here and he isn't playing for a reason.

The spurs have too many redundant players on offense( Finley, Bonner, Bowen, Barry, Horry) who just stand around on the perimeter watching until they get the ball passed to them to jack up a perimeter shot. You won't beat the top teams in the west anymore with a team full of those type of players.

[timvp]

I don't know what to make of Bonner. The Spurs obviously liked him last summer. During the 2007-08 season, he didn't really do enough right or wrong to change opinions about him. If Horry is going to leave the team, it's vital to have a perimeter shooting big on the roster. So if it's not Bonner, the Spurs have to look somewhere else for that skill.

I can't tell if Pop dislikes him or if Pop just went with the veteran bigs during this playoff run. Pop gets mad at him but Pop usually gets mad at the players he likes ... so it's tough to say.

If Bonner is still in good graces, next season Pop should keep him in the rotation. If he has fallen out of favor, trade him if you can. If you can't trade Bonner, his contract is reasonable enough that he can stick around as an insurance policy. Worst idea would be to salary dump him by wasting yet another asset.

[1Parker1]

Problem with Bonner is that he's a defensive liability more often than not which makes it hard for Pop to trust him and play him in big game moments. And while Oberto and Horry are no longer exactly outstanding "defensive players" they do have a much higher level of basketball IQ which I think Pop favors in the playoffs especially that Bonner just doesn't possess.

Bonner isn't a great passer, he's not a good defender, he's basically just an energy guy that can hit the 3 point shot. If Pop had trusted in him more during the regular season, I believe he probably could have been a slight help in LA when the Spurs went on those long scoring droughts and he probably couldn't have been worse than Robert Horry at that point.

Pop continues to get a free pass when it comes to his inability to correctly groom and build young players into his rotation during the regular season. :pctoss

[ShoogarBear]

Bonner had a few moments, but the biggest impression I took away form him is that he is not clutch. There have been a handful of times over the last two years where he was been given an open shot at the end of a game and I don't know if he's converted on a single one.

I'd like to see him get a consistent 10-15 minutes to see whathe can really do, but he never anything more than a 7th or 8th man.

[hsxvvd]

$3mil for a shooting big is not that bad, it's just that as a championship contender we can lure so much more with that $3 million.

[Borosai]

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/3133/stbonnerhookedbe1.jpg

[ChumpDumper]

$3mil for a shooting big is not that bad, it's just that as a championship contender we can lure so much more with that $3 million.We can?

[Flux451]

We need to make big moves to contend next year. I don't see Bonner cutting it. He plays like a d leaguer.
I foresee him being involved in a big trade. I think he can shine, but with another team.

[SpursFan0728]

honestly
He can't be worse than Horry in the Playoffs

[SPARKY]

I don't know what to make of Bonner. The Spurs obviously liked him last summer. During the 2007-08 season, he didn't really do enough right or wrong to change opinions about him. If Horry is going to leave the team, it's vital to have a perimeter shooting big on the roster. So if it's not Bonner, the Spurs have to look somewhere else for that skill.

I can't tell if Pop dislikes him or if Pop just went with the veteran bigs during this playoff run. Pop gets mad at him but Pop usually gets mad at the players he likes ... so it's tough to say.

If Bonner is still in good graces, next season Pop should keep him in the rotation. If he has fallen out of favor, trade him if you can. If you can't trade Bonner, his contract is reasonable enough that he can stick around as an insurance policy. Worst idea would be to salary dump him by wasting yet another asset.

Pop wanted him back or else he would not have received that contract. Next season Bonner should get regular minutes.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Pop wanted him back or else he would not have received that contract. Next season Bonner should get regular minutes.

:tu

[SpurOutofTownFan]

honestly
He can't be worse than Horry in the Playoffs

:toast