Boban... is he really a keeper?

[MultiTroll]

Boban could have been passed to much more tonight.
Our offense led by Kahwbme Leonard had so many possessions with 0 or 1 pass only.
Virtually no attempt to get the ball into Boban who looked ready to work the Lakers centers.

[Pauleta14]

Boban tonight with a -7. He was with the best defensive guys, Kawhi, Simmons, Aldridge. He played with energy, was running up and down, and got on the boards. Definitely a better game than the Dallas one, however, everyone else had to cover up for him a lot, and there were still shots right at the rim despite his presence... in 9 minutes of play a -7.

Don't forget he is a rookie, 1st time he plays that many games, travels that much...

He is obviously is a slump compare to his start, but don't draw any conclusions that quickly, he needs to learn that's all.

We'll probably won't know about his real upside before next year anyway..

[Chinook]

How do you know that exactly?

Because I'm one of the people who is dubious, as is SAG, who only has eyes for Anderson. Then you have guys like TGY who hate on almost every player.

A lot of people didn't think Boban would come in and be as good as he is. There was almost no one who thought he was going to be Sabonis until after the Philly game. And that was a small minority, and those people are the ones rolling their eyes at this thread.

I'm in the camp that Boban is good in his role but is going to be paid too much to stay in it. I'm wary of him having a bigger role, but the way things are shaping up, he may actually end up starting next season if he's brought back. I also think he's not really that important to this year's run. So if I can get a good asset for him and pick up a defensive center, I'd probably do it.

[SAGirl]

Don't forget he is a rookie, 1st time he plays that many games, travels that much...

He is obviously is a slump compare to his start, but don't draw any conclusions that quickly, he needs to learn that's all.

We'll probably won't know about his real upside before next year anyway..

I honestly don't want to come across as too critical, the main reason I have been is really his contract situation and the kind of role he could potentially fulfill bc we need a defensive big. In real games he hasn't been as good defensively as I thought he could be. A lot of it is awareness.

Its possible we can't get anyone better regardless (defensively) over the summer and developing Boban is our best chance. Id rather have him than say an Ayers type guy-an athletic big with no skill whatsoever who is also undersized... so all things considered... all hail the Boban.

[SAGirl]

Because I'm one of the people who is dubious, as is SAG, who only has eyes for Anderson. Then you have guys like TGY who hate on almost every player.

A lot of people didn't think Boban would come in and be as good as he is. There was almost no one who thought he was going to be Sabonis until after the Philly game. And that was a small minority, and those people are the ones rolling their eyes at this thread.

I'm in the camp that Boban is good in his role but is going to be paid too much to stay in it. I'm wary of him having a bigger role, but the way things are shaping up, he may actually end up starting next season if he's brought back. I also think he's not really that important to this year's run. So if I can get a good asset for him and pick up a defensive center, I'd probably do it.

Completely rational explanation Chinook. I have liked so far all our new players, but I am an Anderson fan and do cut him more slack than anybody else.

I was really hyped up about Boban though... there are threads where I was chatting up his defensive potential... you remember?

I just came crashing down on that and for me it's not even speed or what not (would that concern an Anderson fan? no!), it's really his awareness. He doesn't know at times where he should be etc. He's new though. I get the point of those who say, second year he will be better.

Also I agree he will get paid. He is pretty unique, has great stats and at his age, he can't afford discount deals. The discount deal was this season, the one year he was developing. If we resign him, he will get paid and if TD retires he will be it. Even if TD doesn't retire, I imagine next season TD's role has to be reduced to preserve his knees.

[Cklbmk]

I have to see his defense with Aldridge more but I still like him a lot beyond this year

[BD24]

Boban tonight with a -7. He was with the best defensive guys, Kawhi, Simmons, Aldridge. He played with energy, was running up and down, and got on the boards. Definitely a better game than the Dallas one, however, everyone else had to cover up for him a lot, and there were still shots right at the rim despite his presence... in 9 minutes of play a -7.

Because +/- is the ultimate stat
Looks like Bon Bon is one of the best Spurs of all time if we want to go that route.

[Harry Callahan]

Guys like Aaron Baynes and Cory Joseph needed time to become legit NBA players and it took a year or two for them to get acclimated. Boban has some unique skills and attributes. The Spurs can make use of them in the next few years and they will.

[SAGirl]

Because +/- is the ultimate stat
Looks like Bon Bon is one of the best Spurs of all time if we want to go that route.

h didn't have a good game. His PnR with Tony was terrible and caused a TO. Tony as terrible too in this game, but Boban doesn't set good screens. He also committed silly fouls. I saw him play with a lot of effort though, but it is difficult to play with him unless you post him up (they did once I think, it was a short stint). In that stretch transition defense was the worst, I noticed all of that in the thread. He got in with a lead and left without it.

[BD24]

h didn't have a good game. His PnR with Tony was terrible and caused a TO. Tony as terrible too in this game, but Boban doesn't set good screens. He also committed silly fouls. I saw him play with a lot of effort though, but it is difficult to play with him unless you post him up (they did once I think, it was a short stint). In that stretch transition defense was the worst, I noticed all of that in the thread. He got in with a lead and left without it.

None of that had to do with the Lakers hitting tough shots and us getting cold on the offensive end. Of course not. Yes Boban has his flaws, but he is a rookie. He is still much better than any end of the bench big we have had in recent years. He isn't obviously playable against certain lineups, but there is alot of bench guys like that. He has shown improvement though as the season has gone on and obviously has his strengths. He is absolutely a keeper as long as the pricetag doesn't get too high. He is just learning how to play with the pace of the NBA game, I imagine by seasons end he will be looking much better and at that point we may have a better idea of what his future will be here.

[From Downtown]

It's not easy for Euro big men to adapt to the NBA,especially if they're already accomplished players overseas
Sure Boban hasn't looked as good as he did at the start of the season,and if we're looking for him to replace Duncan next year I think we're gonna be disappointed
He still has bot lots of talent and different qualities and he's a pretty good player to have to come off the bench,he just needs time to learn and improve...and if other teams offer him a big contract this season and he wants to go then be it...I mean,I'd be a bit disapoointed,but I also know the Spurs can find another valuable big in the draft/in Europe

[steeledl]

Because +/- is the ultimate stat
Looks like Bon Bon is one of the best Spurs of all time if we want to go that route.

he did play terrible. Julius rAndle got easy buckets a few times in his short stretch. Plus his pnr defense was bad per usual. Did you watch the game? +- is t a great stat but you are being dismissive of something your eyes should have corroborated.

[SAGirl]

None of that had to do with the Lakers hitting tough shots and us getting cold on the offensive end. Of course not. Yes Boban has his flaws, but he is a rookie. He is still much better than any end of the bench big we have had in recent years. He isn't obviously playable against certain lineups, but there is alot of bench guys like that. He has shown improvement though as the season has gone on and obviously has his strengths. He is absolutely a keeper as long as the pricetag doesn't get too high. He is just learning how to play with the pace of the NBA game, I imagine by seasons end he will be looking much better and at that point we may have a better idea of what his future will be here.

That is a good point and I almost said as much above. It is concerning he doesn't know how to screen it makes it difficult to play him unless you post him up which limits your offense. I actually didn't like Tony that game and Tony doesn't have know how to play with him. Boban has better chances of getting good shots if you give the ball to Anderson than if you give it to Tony... definitely not all on him. In fact if we had a Drought it was better to go to Boban but they didn't and that is on Tony. It wasn't his worst game though, but he wasn't a positive impact player that game.

[SAGirl]

It's not easy for Euro big men to adapt to the NBA,especially if they're already accomplished players overseas
Sure Boban hasn't looked as good as he did at the start of the season,and if we're looking for him to replace Duncan next year I think we're gonna be disappointed
He still has bot lots of talent and different qualities and he's a pretty good player to have to come off the bench,he just needs time to learn and improve...and if other teams offer him a big contract this season and he wants to go then be it...I mean,I'd be a bit disapoointed,but I also know the Spurs can find another valuable big in the draft/in Europe

That is probably one of the reasons we need a more defensive minded player. Even if we get Timmy, those knees are shaky. We nee someone else. When Boban is in position he has a lot of impact contesting shots. The problem is that he's very often out of position..

[CGD]

Prediction is that the Spurs lose Boban this summer for nothing, and then turn to Hibbert and pray Timmy can help revive his career

[SAGirl]

Prediction is that the Spurs lose Boban this summer for nothing, and then turn to Hibbert and pray Timmy can help revive his career

I do hope that is not the case. I am guessing he will be resigned or return to Europe. If he wasn't going to b resigned exploring a trade should be due diligence.

[skulls138]

Boban is a third stringer right now and for that I think hes exceptional. I dont care about anything beyond TD and Manu leaving, its depressing and frankly too many variables to consider.

[skulls138]

Prediction is that the Spurs lose Boban this summer for nothing, and then turn to Hibbert and pray Timmy can help revive his career

Hibbert? Give me a break. Did you not see TP break his ankle? I havent seen many instances of a player losing as much confidence so quickly as Hibbert, if ever.

[CGD]

I do hope that is not the case. I am guessing he will be resigned or return to Europe. If he wasn't going to b resigned exploring a trade should be due diligence.

Not a salary person, but it just seems like the Spurs only have the MLE to use among several folks including Boban, West, and whoever they bring over from abroad. Add that next summer some teams will have stupid amounts of money to spend. Like you say, due diligence on a small trade seems like a no brainier to me.

[SAGirl]

Not a salary person, but it just seems like the Spurs only have the MLE to use among several folks including Boban, West, and whoever they bring over from abroad. Add that next summer some teams will have stupid amounts of money to spend. Like you say, due diligence on a small trade seems like a no brainier to me.

Now you are talking.... his salary is small though. I imagine to get someone worth it he would have to be packaged and the Spurs will not want to trade anyone in the rotation since we are all in for this season.

[BD24]

he did play terrible. Julius rAndle got easy buckets a few times in his short stretch. Plus his pnr defense was bad per usual. Did you watch the game? +- is t a great stat but you are being dismissive of something your eyes should have corroborated.

He didn't play great, but he wasn't awful. He should of never been on Randle to begin with. That is on pop. He should never be guarding very athletic 4's, they are going to eat him up because they can pull him out of the paint and once he is outside there they can destroy him.

[DMC]

Boban is a known quality already. He is what he is. He's not a bad player, he's just not dominant relative to his size on the floor. He plays much smaller than he is, which almost every NBA uber-tall guy has done in the history of the league. The fact that guards score over him, around him, and offensively rebound the ball around him time and again should be alarming to Pop. Sure Boban gets rebounds that he happens to be in the right place to get, but often he's stepping on someone to get there. He's a bull in a China closet.

[DMC]

Prediction is that the Spurs lose Boban this summer for nothing, and then turn to Hibbert and pray Timmy can help revive his career

That's not going to happen, either Hibbert or Timmy.

Spurs need a Manu replacement, an energy guy off the bench. Simmons isn't going to be that guy, I don't think.

Spurs will fall down a few notches when Tim and Manu retire, because even the best on the team don't do what they do as well as they do it.

[TD 21]

It's a bigger question than people are giving it credit for. The dude is going to take away a lot of flexibility from the team if they keep him, and I'm not convinced he's going to be a full-time rotation player. His size also lowers his celing. I have heard fans from other teams being willing to give up top-20 picks for Boban. If someone offered that to the Spurs, they have to take it, in my opinion.

Flexibility for what? Barring a significant injury, Duncan and Ginobili will probably return, in which case Marjanovic replacing West would likely be the extent of alterations to the rotation. Outside of that, the likely 29th pick probably takes the roster spot vacated by West, Bertans replaces Butler and Bonner is probably 50/50.

Though certain match-ups will be an issue, I do see Marjanovic as a rotation player next season and beyond, but as a 15-18 mpg backup. How long he can hold up and how many minutes he can absorb over the long haul, is irrelevant, as he'll probably sign a bridge deal of sorts, along the lines of 2/$10M.

[sasaint]

Flexibility for what? Barring a significant injury, Duncan and Ginobili will probably return, in which case Marjanovic replacing West would likely be the extent of alterations to the rotation. Outside of that, the likely 29th pick probably takes the roster spot vacated by West, Bertans replaces Butler and Bonner is probably 50/50.

Though certain match-ups will be an issue, I do see Marjanovic as a rotation player next season and beyond, but as a 15-18 mpg backup. How long he can hold up and how many minutes he can absorb over the long haul, is irrelevant, as he'll probably sign a bridge deal of sorts, along the lines of 2/$10M.

Your prognostications and mine are 180 degrees apart. I think the "probability" of either Tim or Manu's returning is very low. If Tim does not return, West will become even more valuable for his play, his toughness and his leadership. Marjanovic cannot replace him in any of those respects. I enjoy watching Boban, but I do not see him as a viable replacement for either Tim or West, and I do not see the Spurs paying him $5MM/yr. The probability that Bertans, with his injury history, ever plays in the NBA is very low. Our best pipeline prospect is Cady LaLanne in Austin.