If Sheed is in, is Bonner a goner?

[4RINGS]

bonner should be out even if sheed does not come to SA ..

I agree, we should have traded Bonner and kept K. Thomas. At least he plays D and gets a few rebounds.

[TimDunkem]

Of course he does. I don't think the most enthusiastic Bonner supporter here believes he should start.

I'm sure that red-headed kid with a Bonner jersey at all the Spurs games would disagree with that.

[4RINGS]

I'm sure that red-headed kid with a Bonner jersey at all the Spurs games would disagree with that.

I didn't know Bonner had a son....

[ElNono]

The Spurs spent most of that series leaving people open, because they chased the ball around the floor. The Mavericks' offense doesn't, nor has it ever, started with Dirk and you ing know it. The biggest disruptor of the Spurs' defense was JJ Barea's penetration. And the reality of Kidd, Howard, Terry and anyone else under six and a half feet tall being wide open throughout the series had more to do with Mason and Finley's horrible defense coupled with Pop's refusal to play either Bowen or Hill until it was too late.

I'm sure everybody has their theories of who, what or why Dallas beat us.
The point is that suggesting that Bonner is the sole reason Dirk averaged 19 PPG against us is asinine. And extrapolating that to assume he's anything but a terrible interior defender is a flat out lie.
At the end of the day, both Barea and Howard beat us by finishing at the rim. We should have had two persons defending the paint, but only had one. And when Matt did manage to be there, he got abused even by freaking Dampier.
Do you need me to remind you the ridiculous flop he tried to pull on Erica instead of fouling him? That's Matt Bonner the interior defender.

Pop wanted a Horry replacement, and he thought he had it in Matt. Pop was flat out wrong.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Dirk didn't have to score. Howard, Terry, and Barea treating Finley and Mase as turnstyles all series long took care of that.

[Spursmania]

We got our asses handed to us by the Mavs. Yes, we were limping along and didn't have all our big three healthy. This year there should be no more excuses. And, we need some real presence.

Bonner's role was too big for him. The Spurs should either trade Bonner in an exchange that only benefits the team as a whole or they sit his ass on the bench, and hope he shoots the way he did regular season. He needs to get that scared look out of his face and produce. Hopefully, Pop will put him in less important situations, otherwise we're screwed.

Please I don't want to hear how great Bonner was during the regular season. Who gives a rats ass about the regular season. If you can't produce during the playoffs-gtfo. This is a business. Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

[Ace9]

We got our asses handed to us by the Mavs. Yes, we were limping along and didn't have all our big three healthy. This year there should be no more excuses. And, we need some real presence.

Bonner's role was too big for him. The Spurs should either trade Bonner in an exchange that only benefits the team as a whole or they sit his ass on the bench, and hope he shoots the way he did regular season. He needs to get that scared look out of his face and produce. Hopefully, Pop will put him in less important situations, otherwise we're screwed.

Please I don't want to hear how great Bonner was during the regular season. Who gives a rats ass about the regular season. If you can't produce during the playoffs-gtfo. This is a business. Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Dam straight. We should definitely improve on our weakest links. If we acqiure Wallace, then I would have no problem with Bonner out. Maybe we could package something together and strike a deal, perhaps. Anything to improve.

[z0sa]

We must have seen a different season. Bonner was routinely abused, and on top of that could not grab a board to save his life. If his shot was not falling (pretty much every game since January), then he was detriment to the team.
Then again, my point is not about his abilities. I'm wondering if he's the guy that could be moved to offset some salary now that we're going to be on lux tax territory. I don't really mind him at the end of the bench.

LMAO @ Bonner's shots not falling after January. He was nailing shots til the very end of the season, and did so in game 2 of the Mavs series as well.

Bonner will not be gone, ladies. To those who know the game best, he more than exceeded expectations for last season - the fact he "choked" in the playoffs had much, much more to do with him burning the Mavs in game 2. They made sure to run him off the 3pt line from that point on, we all know he's a fairly one dimensional player who knew he would get himself into trouble trying to dribble. For a first round curbstomping (yeah, that's what the Mavs did in case you forgot) Bonner's first real playoffs were hopeful, IMO.



Package/Trade him for something better? Absolutely. But as a bench cog bigman, he could prove invaluable, especially with his knowledge of the system. Additionally, ignore the blatant lying like above. Bonner WILL hit shots. You CANNOT leave him open. That is a great asset, in a bigman, to have.

[Obstructed_View]

I'm sure everybody has their theories of who, what or why Dallas beat us.
The point is that suggesting that Bonner is the sole reason Dirk averaged 19 PPG against us is asinine. And extrapolating that to assume he's anything but a terrible interior defender is a flat out lie.
At the end of the day, both Barea and Howard beat us by finishing at the rim. We should have had two persons defending the paint, but only had one. And when Matt did manage to be there, he got abused even by freaking Dampier.
Do you need me to remind you the ridiculous flop he tried to pull on Erica instead of fouling him? That's Matt Bonner the interior defender.

Pop wanted a Horry replacement, and he thought he had it in Matt. Pop was flat out wrong.

I never suggested Bonner was the sole reason Dirk averaged 19 ppg, but he's been a good defender all year long, and there's nothing from the Mavs series that changes that, even failing to wrap up Dampier on a single play. You seem to be suggesting that Bonner's not worth being on the team because people scored in the paint.

My contention is that Bonner shouldn't have been the one playing critical minutes being counted on to block shots, which he clearly cannot do. That's not a failure by Bonner, it's partially a failure by the people that put the team in the position where he was being asked to do so many things that are outside his skillset, and partially bad luck that Oberto developed heart problems. If the Spurs can get people to do those other jobs, Bonner suddenly becomes a gigantic asset to this team. Don't pretend like he can't shoot.

[ElNono]

I never suggested Bonner was the sole reason Dirk averaged 19 ppg, but he's been a good defender all year long, and there's nothing from the Mavs series that changes that, even failing to wrap up Dampier on a single play. You seem to be suggesting that Bonner's not worth being on the team because people scored in the paint.

How could you claim he's a good defender when he can't block a shot (admitted by yourself), he can't bang with the big guys (Duncan and Thomas did that all season long), he can't box out and grab a rebound to save his life (numbers don't lie). What is he exactly good at on defense?
With the exception of the start of the season when both Tony and Manu were injured, and TD played out of his mind, our interior defense has been the worse since Tim joined out team. Bonner was the starter and played the most minutes alongside Tim. You're telling me it's a coincidence?

My contention is that Bonner shouldn't have been the one playing critical minutes being counted on to block shots, which he clearly cannot do. That's not a failure by Bonner, it's partially a failure by the people that put the team in the position where he was being asked to do so many things that are outside his skillset, and partially bad luck that Oberto developed heart problems. If the Spurs can get people to do those other jobs, Bonner suddenly becomes a gigantic asset to this team.

He was given a role and he sucked at it. I do agree that Pop should have reversed course earlier, and I would even argue I don't understand why they even rented Gooden if he was not going to get some of his minutes.

Don't pretend like he can't shoot.

If he can only shoot when wide open, like Mason, Finley, Bowen, possibly the new kid we just drafted, possibly Rasheed if he comes around, etc, then that's exactly where the question that originated this thread comes about: Is a one trick pony that can only shoot when wide open and a liability on defense worth $6 million dollars?

[ElNono]

LMAO @ Bonner's shots not falling after January. He was nailing shots til the very end of the season, and did so in game 2 of the Mavs series as well.

I'm sorry, but if we have to wait to be up 25 points and the other team start gambling in order for him to take a shot, then he's not really useful.

[Obstructed_View]

With the exception of the start of the season when both Tony and Manu were injured, and TD played out of his mind, our interior defense has been the worse since Tim joined out team. Bonner was the starter and played the most minutes alongside Tim. You're telling me it's a coincidence?

Bonner is not a starter, much less a starting center. Bonner should not be defending the elite starting power forwards in this league. Bonner should not be getting extended minutes guarding the paint, or guarding the opponent's best big to keep Duncan out of foul trouble.

Put Parker in the post defending Kobe. He's going to get lit up. Is that because Parker is a horrible defender? No.

We know you don't like Bonner, but he's here. If he's in a position where he can utilize his strengths, he can contribute. He's a good shooter, a good energy guy playing spot minutes, and he can hold his own on defense. If you don't believe me just watch him this year. If he can't hack it, then he'll get Benoed.

[ElNono]

Bonner is not a starter, much less a starting center. Bonner should not be defending the elite starting power forwards in this league.

Agreed, he's simply unable do that.

Bonner should not be getting extended minutes guarding the paint, or guarding the opponent's best big to keep Duncan out of foul trouble.

Except he didn't do that. Duncan and KT guarded Shaq, KG, Gasol, Howard, etc. Matt can't guard any of them.

Put Parker in the post defending Kobe. He's going to get lit up. Is that because Parker is a horrible defender? No.

There's a difference here. Parker can keep up with guards.
Matt is too big to guard in the perimeter, and too weak to guard the interior.

We know you don't like Bonner, but he's here.

That's actually not accurate at all. I had the luck to meet him, and he seems a very personable and nice guy. He's a funny guy to boot. I don't have a problem with him on a reduced role at the end of the bench. My question is about people's opinion as to wether he's worth $6 million for that reduced role.

If he's in a position where he can utilize his strengths, he can contribute. He's a good shooter, a good energy guy playing spot minutes, and he can hold his own on defense. If you don't believe me just watch him this year. If he can't hack it, then he'll get Benoed.

I think he can only do that against lesser teams. That is, none of the teams that end up making the playoffs. We obviously disagree in this point, and I'm ok with that.

[Obstructed_View]

Except he didn't do that. Duncan and KT guarded Shaq, KG, Gasol, Howard, etc. Matt can't guard any of them.

Not exactly right. Duncan guarded Shaq, but Bonner had to guard Amare. Duncan guarded Bynum while Bonner guarded Gasol. Duncan guarded Oden while Bonner guarded Aldridge. All of them are going to overmatch him. The best thing to do in those situations is try not to give up ground, don't let them go around you and make sure there's a hand in their face when they shoot. That cons utes good defense, and Bonner does that very very well. You make a guy have to work to score on you, and Bonner's inability to shut down guys who don't get shut down was not the reason the Spurs completely sucked last year.

And no, he's clearly not worth the money he's paid. I don't agree with Pop's ridiculous blindspot to the flaws of anyone that can shoot a ball from 24 feet away, and I'd have never brought him here. That said, I absolutely refuse to sit by while the Spurs drive his value down to nothing and have to spend money to get rid of him. Instead I'd like to see him put in a position to contribute something to a championship team. If Jaren Jackson and Steve Kerr could do it, if Speedy Claxton could do it, I think Matt Bonner could too.

[4RINGS]

Don't worry, Bonner is on the last year of his contract and the Spurs will not re-sign him next year. If/when we add a big with out MLE his minutes will go way down just like Fab's did last year. IF he does not improve his D he could be out of the league sooner than later. Bye bye Red Rocket.