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Keep him if it doesn't cost too much basically. I love his effort and enthusiasm on the court.
Presently, there are only three bigs on contract for next season. Duncan, McDyess and Blair are certainly all rotation players when healthy, but with the first two needing to play fewer minutes due to age, there is probably a need for two more solid rotation bigs along with a nice 'insurance' big like Ratliff. Splitter's name has been thrown around a lot, but he is obviously not a lock.
One of the easiest answers for a rotation big is Bonner. He's not starter quality, but he knows the system and knows his role in it. What would his market value be, and what would the Spurs be willing to play? I'd love to keep him with a 3yr/$8mil contract, but I know GMs have a penchant for overpaying bigs.
Thoughts?
Keep him if it doesn't cost too much basically. I love his effort and enthusiasm on the court.
kick his worthless ass to the curb.
the spurs need big men who play like big men. not a 6'10" pussy who's lost doing anything other than shooting wide open three pointers.
Yeah, I agree, I just wonder what his worth is. There are a slew of bad to mediocre bigs on MLE contracts (~$6 mil a year), but I assume in most of those cases the teams paid for what the guy might be rather than what he actually is. Bonner's ceiling isn't high and everyone knows it, so I peg him at $2-3 mil a year.
Bonner's worth 3 to 4 mil a year,
but it doesn't matter, with Manu's new bloated contract, this team will have no chance at a le, so might as well let Bonner walk and fill out the rest of the roster with the cheapest players possible.
I like his production when he's given limited minutes(less than 20) but he becomes a liability when we use him to close out games due to his poor rebounding and anti-clutchness. Kinda want him gone due to the fact that Pop relies on his much too often(almost to the point where he's become a crutch)
Damn man that was harsh Lol. Take it easy on Red Rocket.
Matt is wearing shades.
People who say this about Bonner aren't paying any attention to what he does and are just looking at him and judging him because he looks awkward. Sure he's not clutch but he mixes it up and works hard on the boards, moves the ball well, plays good team defense (he's not that gifted individually) and he's really scrappy.
If Splitter is here Bonner will be gone. Boston or Toronto is most likely destination. Could even go in a sign and trade. The Spurs know they have to upgrade along side Duncan. I could even see Blair moved in a package for the right player.
If Splitter signs, one of McDyess or Bonner is gone. I'd rather keep McDyess, but I feel the Spurs will keep Bonner (stretch four, which they're obsessed with, knows the system, more affordable, is truly a fourth big, at least on a team with championship aspirations and that is what he'd be if he returns, with Blair's likely improvement).
Dice is under contract for next season, Bonner isn't. I think that makes the decision rather simple.
Definitely dependent on whether or not Tiago gets here.
If possible, I think it would be in the Spurs interest to keep Bonner. However in the upcoming 2010 Lebron James extravaganza, the possibility of overpaying players is high and I can see him fitting in three point happy systems like Mike D'Antoni's.
But we'll see how Bonner does in the playoffs....he can be abused since hardly anyone seems to respect him on the court
Not at all. Ever heard of a trade? McDyess is only going to play one more year, Bonner could be a Spur for at least another couple of seasons. Plus, this organization is obsessed with having a stretch four in the rotation. It's easy to say, sign Cook or Novak, but neither would be in the rotation. Also, Bonner will come cheaper than McDyess.
Like I've repeatedly said, I'd rather see McDyess back than Bonner, but I just don't see it happening. To show you how much Pop values shooting at the four spot, look how many times McDyess has gotten a quick hook or not finished games because he missed one or two mid range jumpers.
Who's going to take on Dice's contract? He's owed $10 million for the next two seasons.
He's signed through 2011/2012
Only next season is guaranteed. Good teams are always looking for a veteran big man and McDyess is considered above the Smith (Joe) and Howard types, who are fourth and fifth big men at this point in their careers. He's still a solid number three. I honestly don't think he'd be difficult to move, the problem is it may have to be to a fellow West playoff team. I'm not advocating this, just saying I see this happening. If the organization wasn't so obsessed with having a stretch four in the rotation, I'd think otherwise.
I've been impressed with Bonner's off-the-dribble, running hook, that he's added to his game this year. However, he's still such a poor rebounder and non-clutch player, that he becomes a liability in big games against stiffer compe ion. This has become a glaring "elephant in the room".
I'd rather the Spurs move on without him. Like others, I think it depends on Splitter's arrival. I'd also prefer to have Dice and Ian (yes I said Ian) on next year's roster, instead of Bonner. The Spurs should be able to resign Ian at a cheap 2-yr contract. I just believe Ian's skill set is more highly valuable and coveted around the league and for this team. Having a young, athletic post player, who can rebound, block shots and run the floor is just a huge asset.
However, something tells me Pop is still going to want to have a "stretch 4" on the team. Therefore, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see Bonner back on the team next year. Of course, his price tag may keep going up. Gist and Tolliver could be cheaper "stretch 4" options if he wanted to go that route, but that's another story.
Pop's penchant for small-ball is so very puzzling because practically every contending Western Conference team can throw out different frontcourt size variations at their opponents. Other than Duncan, this current Spurs team, is deficient is both size and flexibility in the frontcourt.
Therefore for next year, I'm hoping for a frontcourt rotation of Duncan, Dice, Splitter, Blair and Mahinmi. This rotation would provide a nice mix of size, versatility, athleticism, youth and experience to matchup better with any frontcourt in the NBA - including the Fakers.
I just hope that Blair improves over the summer the same way G Hill did, that way we don't need Bonner as much. If he goes from 7.6pts and 6.2reb to like 12 and 8, I would be stocked. His D needs work also, he could be a huge asset if he takes his game to the next level.
I can also see T Splitter coming here, TD, Dice, Blair and Splitter will be so awesome. Bonner stretches the court, but Blair running the pick n roll with Manu could be ten times better.
Bonner has become a big part of this team.. as lousy as he can play sometimes, I always find myself being and impressed by his decision making, his effort and he can also score in bunches at times.... he's got my vote to stay.
I think a lot of it depends on the Spurs' opinion of McDyess. If they feel he can be a solid rotational big for all of next year, they might let Bonner walk, knowing that they have their top 4 in Duncan/Dice/Splitter/Blair, and they can fill holes around that, probably with one youngster in his 20s and one typical-Spurs vet in his 30s.
However, if the price tag is right, they will definitely consider bringing back Bonner. Considering the Spurs current salary cap situation for the next few years, I think they'd probably offer Bonner something like 2 years, $7 million, so they're not locked in as much. However, given where Bonner is in his career, he might go for a longer term contract somewhere else; I have a feeling someone will come out and offer him 3 years, $10-11 million, or 4 years, $14-16 million, and he might take that for the long-term security.
As someone else mentioned, with the Spurs' Bird Rights to Bonner, he might be a candidate to be in a sign-and-trade, if someone doesn't want to use their MLE on him, though it's hard to say someone would be willing to give up a player that the Spurs would want to take on more money for.
Folks are saying Bonner is not clutch and he doesn't board as much as a man his size should but he is a role player, not the guy who is going to be on the floor in the clutch typically. If Splitter is part of the rotation next season, Bonner has evolved into a nice big that can stretch the floor, grab a key rebound and now can dribble and do that running hook.
I know most everyone wanted him and Finley on the first train out of SA but Bonner has come along.
Now if you are talking about who is going to start next to Duncan and close out games, then yes Bonner is not the right guy for that.
I actually believe that Blair's future is linked to Splitter's. Splitter gives us the size that is sorely lacking next to Tim. If Splitter does not come then we have to go get someone. One of the best bargaining chips in a multi player deal is Blair. He also needs someone of size on the floor with him so when he gets posted inside by a taller man the other Spur big man can rotate over. Blair by himself in the paint has not been pretty. Bonner has been too inconsistent on D and is not long enough to provide help in this area. Besides there are guys like Brian Cook how can do the same thing for a whole lot less.
if bonner performs in the PO, bring him back. if he shrivels, let him walk. quite simple really.
One caveat of these numbers is, of course, that teams tend to overpay for big men, though I'm not sure Bonner really falls into the category of big men that get the big bucks. Shooters are overpaid less often, though it can happen (e.g.- Jason Kapono got a 4 year, full MLE deal after a career year in 06-07). Bonner would be smart to take the first couple weeks of July off, let his agent see what offers come in, and see if anyone panics with cap space or MLE and throws mucho dinero at him.
Bring Bonner back. If you don't think he's giving all the effort he has, he wouldn't be developing so well. He's shooting three's with a higher percantage than ever, getting more rebounds this year than ever, and overall this is his best year statically by far and it's the most he's played since his rookie season. The guy's putting up eerily similar numbers to Brent Barry and although they're a different position, Bonnar plays simarily on the offensive in and just like Barry and others, you will miss him when he's gone.
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