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It doesn't matter where he played before. He was never an elite defender. There's a lot more to defense than blocking shots. You can be out of position on every trip and still get blocked shots if you're that tall.
Also Boban plays mostly with the second unit garbage time and works on offense. I'm sure he could play even better defense than he is now if he played the Duncan role as it is right now. Just nothing but D with some occasional O.
It doesn't matter where he played before. He was never an elite defender. There's a lot more to defense than blocking shots. You can be out of position on every trip and still get blocked shots if you're that tall.
Situational awareness. Duncan has seen everything. Even at his age, his experience keeps him in the right place on the floor. Boban can't get that in a year.
Now - is there someone else out there who approaches the court awareness and experience of Duncan? Debatable. But certainly no one that the Spurs will be able to get.
I don't know what they will do if Duncan retires, and it's looking more likely that he will. No slight to Boban, but I think they would be doing well if Boban is up to the level of first big off the bench.
I mean, the answer is no, so in that regard, the le question isn't very legit. But it's obviously legitimate to speculate on how the Spurs will try to replace Tim, especially in light of their cap realities.
lol no. and no he doesnt have the "potential".
spurstalk
So what is your take? I obviously think Boban has potential but he still makes too many mistakes. Maybe a bench role is warranted to begin with.
The reality is that unless you get a vet you will need to train someone and regardless of how lacking that someone is if Tim retires roles will have to be reshuffled.
Well be up for a rough season next. I do think this one is it for Manu specially, nit sure Tim, but he's had his games where he's looked his age and once he hits 40 it gets worse. I think he could play, but I am not taking for granted that he will.
POP is trying to get Boban as much experience as he can while still keeping a winning record. We are all in on this season, but Pop has not abandoned development projects like Boban and Kyle. He's doing as much as possible to get them experience within the confines of the win now mode we are in.
For the few people that gave their take thanks!
Also i ll be sure to carefully think about how I word the question next time.
From what little I've seen of him I think he can. Not a legit question ... Lol to some it is and those are the takes I'm interested in. Just saying no is so easy. Fact is Duncan is gonna be retiring sooner rather than later and we have little money and very few options. Boban has a year in the system, if he's resigned he'll have his opportunity for those minutes if we don't get lucky again and sign a quality free agent and if Aldridge stays consistent on his stance on not being a center.
He could play .... But not nearly as well. Duncan is a defensive anchor and Boban is a defensive liability.
i like Boban fwiw..... You just can't replace what Duncan does on defense though. We'd have to win in different ways.also Boban would be in foul trouble perpetually.
Some takes are straight garbage.
It's such a shame he never won DPOY
Boban has a long way to go for that. He has been playing against teams free styling and no set ups or plays. Dallas, of course, was the only team who sent any type of game plan at him, by putting a stretch big for him to guard. That big got 3-4 wide open threes..and made his first two of the season. Boban also got a 3 second violation in the midst of it. Boban has potential, but he would get tore up in a game where coaches are preparing for him. He is still very inexperienced to NBA ball. He is coming along nicely for what he is.
TBH Duncan and LMA get beat by some stretch 4s when they shoot 3s. It happens. The bigs usually stay close for the help rotation and sometimes they get caught by stretch 4s. You just have to make sure to take advantage of the size difference on the other end.
He can't. He's not a good defender and there's no point even mentioning Duncan's intangibles and leadership.
That said, the question is legit in the sense that if Duncan retires, the Spurs will have to make do with little money to work with and his replacement could very well come from within the team. Most likely Boris, or West if he re-signs, rather than Boban, but still, he could have a bigger role next season.
Still, I hope and believe Duncan and Manu both return for next season. With the Spurs having done the bulk of their roster management last summer, it'd be a joy watching every other team throwing stupid money at garbage players in the offseason.
I agree with you. But he has more potential than Baynes for example who also looked worse when we got him.
I am in denial like you and the two seem like they could play another year, yet at the same time I have a nostalgic feeling that this is it. They are taking us thus far while training suitable replacements in Boban/Simmons/Anderson. Not saying they replace what we lose, but Kawhi/Tony/LMA will have to carry the largest burden aided by a cast of characters and among them we have these 3 and West hopefully.
If I am wrong it's another year for them to develop, but I kind of get the feeling this is it. Mostly from watching Pop being so diligent coaching Anderson and Boban. They are nit coached like your end of the bench scrubs. It's entirely subjective I will admit, but I detect a sense of urgency. Pop's and the vets care. I even see Ginobili giving instructions to Anderson and Tim and Boban are like master and apprentice. I also think at some point you have to put the fish in the tank and let them swim. You can teach someone how to swim, but until they go out and flap their body around they don't learn.... They are not going to say when it is the last time but this time, this year could be it.
Boban will not be able to adequately replace TD as defensive anchor, but our team focus might shift while still putting some emphasis on defense, it has to take account with who are the personnels in the roster. I think getting a cheap defensive big with enough experiece like Jeff Whitey will help remedy it to some degree, but really, replacing a GOAT level player won't be easy, even a TOSB version of it.
I don't think Boban will ever be the Spurs' defensive center. He's a guy who's big enough to block shots, but his game is slanted toward offense. In that way, he's closer to what Brook Lopez brings than Tim. That he has the mobility of a 27-year-old version of Old Tim makes him unideal to play more than 20 minutes in this league. I guess he could start, but the Spurs should do what they can to get a starting-caliber center anyway to fill the other minutes.
If Tim could hold out one more year, the Spurs would have the cap space to pursue a player like Ibaka, who isn't Tim on defense but who can protect the rim and guard the PnR better. With Serge and LMA, there would be a lot of rim protection, and both could play with Boban. As far as who that fourth big would be, I don't know. Would be nice if it were Boris, but he'd probably be cut to make the cap room necessary, and he could be too old anyway. Maybe LJC or Lalanne will have developed by then.
Tim's not retiring and leaving $5m+ on the table with all the money he lost in the divorce and his investments
no one could play a Duncan role. NO ONE!
Yeah I really think this is Tim's last year too. He's starting to show his age. I'm just thinking what if we win the le this year and Tim, manu, and west all retire...
I agree ideally David could start next to Aldridge next year, if we couldn't find an ideal replacement, and that's why I kind of hope Aldridge plays center for team USA.
I mean we'll still have kawhi if boban started and hopefully green playing like his normal self and our defensive schemes. I think we could really clog the paint and against teams with stretch bigs you could sub him early or at the beginning all together. We can still force mid range shots with him that are still more inaccurate than threes and layups. I don't think it would be number one but it would be respectable in the time he plays. Imo
NO
Tough to replace tim tbh.
How stupid is generic Spurfan that he thinks a center with a shelf life of 2-3 years tops can replace the greatest PF of all time? Geez what a stupid ass thread.
Thinking a 27 yr old rook, who is slow as can replace even a 40 yr old duncan's impact. It's laughable. Sorry, no. And again no, he doesn't have the potential. He is a 4th big at best and that isn't something to be ashamed of.
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