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If Bonner was black he would have tons of fans.
He's a 6'-10" PF-C who is capable of playing good team defense, doesn't turn the ball over and averages 6 points in 18 minutes lifetime while making, 3 million per year.
He's not a good one on one defender and he's probably over played a bit (2 or 3 minutes per game) because of the spurs thin front line but everyone constantly seems down on a guy who is not only doing exactly what he was hired to do at a slightly below market price, but works hard and does a bunch of the little things while doing it.
Compare him to Chris Wilcox, Johan Petro, Josh McRoberts, Nazr Mohammed and 1 or 2 other back-up bigs in the 2 to 5 mill per year range, Bonner is as good or better than most at what he does, he's just over played because the spurs have two starting quality centers and no quality power forwards.
So I would understand if people disliked him because he was a poor teammate, a criminal, or didn't work hard. But what I don't understand is why a guy who does exactly what he is supposed to and tries to do more is disliked. Help me get it please.
If Bonner was black he would have tons of fans.
First of all he's no where near 6-10, he's 6-7 at best. Second of all he has no lateral quickness to guard a SF, and is too short to guard any Forwards. He has no verticle, so he can't rebound, nor does he box out. He's undersized, white, and he has red hair, can you please explain why he SHOULD be playing the amount he is?
Bonner isn't 6'7 lmao
You have obviously missed every playoff game Bonner has ever played in.
^This.
Like the change in seasons, the swallows that annually invade Capistrano or even the Sun rising in the East, Bonner's 3-pt shot surely and annually goes on vacation with the coming of April.
It's all about the playoffs. In the regular season, Bonner has been better than Robert Horry ever was. But come playoff time, his production falls off a cliff ... and he looks terrified in the process.
If I thought Bonner could play like he does now come the postseason, I might actually want him to start. But we've seen it too often: The playoffs will come, Bonner will get scared, other teams will notice and attack him on defense while leaving him open during clutch moments on offense, and the Spurs will end up playing 4 on 5.
Plus, when he's sucking during the regular season, it makes even less sense to trot him out for big minutes. It's difficult even to justify someone who will help you now but kill you later. It's impossible to justify someone who is hurting you now and will hurt you worse later.
No I'm trying to imagine a black Bonner
He's been around for 5 seasons now? 3 getting consistent minutes?
The whole "he gets too many minutes because our frontline is thin" is baloney, tbh. He had the most minutes of any big after Tim and Dice in the playoffs last year.
Matty is who he is. Soft and a below average player. Not Horry.
For me, Bonner is fools gold. In the reg season, we can get away with his shortcomings on defense and his shooting does help space the floor but in the playoffs, those open 3's will become nonexistent and that's when he becomes a real liability. Also, if Splitter started and played 30mins a game, I don't think you would hear as much Bonner bashing. I like what he brings to the team but he should not be taking Splitter's mins.
Why is Bonner disliked?
Well defensively he doesn't rebound well, he gets overpowered all the time or has people just rip the ball from his hands. He frequently blows assignments despite an ill-deserved reputation for being a "heady" defender and gives up open 3 pt shots. Despite the perception about him, the strongest part of Bonner's game defensively is his 1-on-1 post defense. A few guys like Randolph, Al Jefferson or Griffin will dominate him, but they do that against nearly everyone. Bonner actually holds his own in this regard quite well, even though he gets zero respect from the referees (especially under the glass, where people get away with going over the back on him on rebounds more than anybody in the league).
Offensive people dislike him because his game is extremely one-dimensional, he can't create his own shot and he passes up far too many shots. He also has a history of choking in the playoffs.
Mostly people hate Bonner because Pop plays him instead of guys they want to see play like Splitter or Leonard.
No I'm trying to imagine a black Bonner
Good point. Bonner gets praised for being book smart or having a high IQ or whatever ... but on the basketball court he's about as dumb as a doorknob. When he has time to think instead of just react, it's shocking how often he doesn't make the right play.
Nice find. To the other guy, black Bonner doesn't have a lot of fans and he doesn't play very often.
For the record, now that RJ is gone I think it's inexcusable for Bonner to be public enemy #1 over here instead of Blair. Blair is a far bigger liability and it's not even close. Bonner at least knows his limitations for the most part and only shoots when he's open (and sometimes not even then). Blair keeps thinking every piece of he throws up will go in, he has awful footwork, he is a turnover machine, he commits stupid loose ball fouls and he can't guard anybody. Anybody who's a student of the game and seriously watches will notice that Blair makes 10-20 mental mistakes in an average game (about one per minute).
The +/- disparity between the two is not a coincidence, folks. At least Bonner has proven that he can succeed with Tim or Tiago on the floor. Blair can ONLY play with Tim and even then he's often a minus player and the biggest reason the starters need the bench to bail their asses out in most games.
I'm convinced with Blair in the rotation we can't win a le, unless by some miracle we avoid Memphis, Dallas, the Lakers, Chicago and Miami. If we get another decent big to start alongside Tim we can survive with Bonner as the 4th big.
Bonner would be fine in limited minutes or if we need another 3 point shooter on the floor.
Problem is that Pop relies on him like he's the best big we have on the team. As long as he's here nothing will change that. The best thing about getting rid of RJ is that the temptation is no longer there. Until we get rid of Bonner (and Blair) it will continue to be that way.
Blair's making second round draft pick money. Bonner's making 4 mil a year.
And despite his history of playoff cowardice, what consequences does he suffer? He gets rewarded with a fresh new contract and even more faith and trust by the coach who continues to blindly hitch his wagon to him.
Another aspect of Bonner (at least the playoff version) is that he is a momentum-igniter - FOR THE OTHER TEAM - in so many ways. Allow me to explain.
His frequent 3-pt misses, create long rebounds and numerous fast break opportunities for the other team on one end. These opportunities often turn into big momentum-building swings for the opposition, while simulataneously deflating his teammates confidence because they have to compensate for his. It makes life tough on the other 4 Spurs players.
On the other end, when Bonner is guarding an opposing player, that player usually gets wide-eyed in relishing the opportunity to take him off the dribble, easily get off his shot over him or skirt by him for an offensive rebound.
If you need any further evidence, pull up highlights from any game of last spring's 1st round playoff upset with the Grizzlies. Watch how Darrell Arthur ate his lunch repeatedly - on both ends of the court.
In short, the fact that Bonner is a one-trick pony, while being a mental-midget, his shortcomings are greatly magnified in the playoffs, when playoff pressure rises and defenses tighten, along with his own buttcheeks.
It's an old song that many of us Spurs fans, myself included, are just tired of.
THAT's why he's everyone's whipping boy.
And don't even get me started on Blair's FT shooting. He made progress in that regard his second year but now he's worse than Dwight Howard. I hate the stupid look on his face he has when he shoots them. He doesn't even give a . He's just smiling, not even bending his knees or bending his elbows, he just flips the ball up there like it's meaningless to him if it goes in or not. I can't stand watching him at the line anymore.
I like Bonner's game, but he has to produce this year in the playoffs. Another big this year, should make the team better and decrease his minutes. He is what he is! I want to see Duncan and Splitter on the floor at least three games with the majority of the minutes so people will see how that actually works. I might be wrong, but I doubt it! They'll get in each other's way!
All true, but Pop doesn't overplay Blair and he certainly doesn't hesistate to bench Blair when he blows defensive assignments. It's a true double-standard in the way Pop treats Bonner versus Blair.
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