Just throwing out an idea here for next year if the ROX decide to move Stevie and get PF help in return. Let Boki play the point. Now before you scream "no" or this "junior member" is crazy, take a close look at what he could bring to the starting unit: This from the Houston Chronicle when Boki signed with the team... Nachbar, who plays for the Slovenian national team, spent the last two seasons playing for Benetton Treviso, leading the Italian power to the European Final Four last season as a starter. Nachbar averaged 13.7 points (shooting 60.4 percent from the floor and 37.4 from the 3-point line) and 4.1 rebounds in Italian League play, and 12.9 points and 3.7 rebounds in Euroleague play. This from Clutch... Good all-around skills Has a nice stroke on his jumper, but possibly not the range of a Stojakovic or Turkoglu. Excels at driving to the hoop and taking it strong to the rack, and can find the open man as well in those situations. Versatile enough to play possibly three positions. Has a chance to be a very special offensive player. This from NBADraft.net... Another sweet shooting European SF. Combines great athleticism with good intelligence. Very smooth player with offensive skill and court sense. Great understanding of the game and plays under control and with great competitiveness. Runs the floor very well and can get off the floor well and finish. Can actually create off the dribble and his ball handling ability is good and looks like it can become very good. Is still prone to having his pocket picked, but his handles are adept for a SF. Will be able to help a team right away as he is probably more NBA ready than any player in the draft after becoming one of the key players on a Final Four Euroleague team, Benneton Treviso. Has range on his shot. He is the real deal. Not the shooter of Peja, but a more fluid athlete. His size would create mismatches... Cat could guard the quicker point guards... his strong outside shooting would open up the floor for Yao. He could be our Brent Barry. Finishes strong. Thoughts?
I suggest you look at his actual game instead of his press clippings. He does not have anywhere near a good enough handle to even be the 3rd option at the point.
Boki is not Manu Ginobili. He can't play the point. Let's just work on his 3pt shooting. If he did that he would see more game action.
This is from the two years in which we have actually seen him play in the NBA rather than pre-draft speculation by people who hadn't no, he's way too slow and would make Francis look like Joe Dumars on defense.
If you notice... often JJ or Cat brings the ball up instead of Stevie with no problem. His handle is just as good. He might have some trouble during full court man pressure... but all we want is someone who can run the break, pass to Yao, and hit the open J.
I like the idea of having a taller "point" player (guard or forward) - it creates mis-matches and they can see over the defense that being said, that taller "point" player is NOT boki !
It just wouldn't work. Teams would press and trap the hell out of him till he coughs the ball up like crazy. The player you're looking for is probably Marko Jaric. What makes you think Boki can lead the break anyway? He needs to strengthen his mid range J to the point where it's automatic, and get solid (physically).
He has skills. You break the press with team ball... moving and passing the ball to the open spot. He can pass. Stevie tries to show us that we need to break the press with the dribble and then leave his feet to make a pass. This is a system problem. Boki makes smart plays. He could do it.
But you're banking on what you THINK would happen, not on anything you've ever seen. NBA defenses have gotten too good for any team to be able to pull off such a thing. If boki could hit the J, lead the break, and make smart plays, then why isn't he getting any minutes?
Well, you can say that to JVG all you want, but I'm pretty sure there's no way Boki will start at the point. It's just unreasonable if you ask me. It's like saying let's start Yao at the point because he's a good decision maker. It just wouldn't work out.
All I am saying is that Brent Barry has similar (but more veteran) skills as Boki. He does not seem like a traditional point and he isn't. But he gets the job done and is more "plus" that "minus" for the Sonics.
I don't even see how any of the three quotes posted supports your position; the 1st one mentions ppg, shooting. and rebounds. The other two evaluate his skills relative to his position.
throw in Brent Barry (as everyone seems to do) and you MIGHT get 82 games out of all three conbined !
I dont know about Boki to the point which seems like a MDunleavy (Warriors) situation while he has good ball handling skills not enough to play point and not cause turnovers. so that statement out I would love to see Boki get more playing time to let this young kid develop.. something I cant stand about JVG is playing someone some minutes they produce and then you never see them again. If Boki could get some playing time he might be something special.. will he be a pure shooter type (constant 3pt threat) ? maybe not. could he be a scorer/ slasher type definately. I just hope we dont drop him and he develops somewhere else into a star. J
Jiri Welsch was too slow to play the point in the NBA hence he was moved to shooting guard; Jaric might be the worst starting PG in the Western Conference, statistically. A lot of guys who are good enough to play PB in Europe (Zoran Plananic anyone?) just cannot handle guarding guys like Marbury, Francis, B Davis etc when they come over here; they're just too slow.
In Boki's case, he needs to make himself valuable. He's a good slasher and good 3-point shooter judging by the minutes he saw early season. These are 2 qualities that set him apart. Now, he needs to perfect that 3-pt shot, I believe he had trouble because the NBA 3 is further. But I'm sure he can work on it. More importantly, he needs to make the midrange J automatic. He should be able to just cut in, catch it, and sink midrange jumpers easily. I would also advise him to get solid physically, get more muscle, but don't get big. Get a bit stronger to improve your defense. He has surprising quickness. If he can just solidify all the things he already does, he should bget great minutes at the 3. With his age, I don't think JJ should be playing 40 minutes a night.
Mike Dunleavy, Jr is running point ... so if the Rockets face the same situation in which GSW face, meaning SF and Mobley getting hurt with only the vet Mark Jackson to play a few minutes a game ... then by all means play Boki at the point.
