heypartner: Your memory is incorrect. Nowitski was a joke on ESPN, sportcenter, and the Dallas newspapers. Even Tommy Heinsholn made fun of him when the Celtics played Dallas (now there's a bust that Coach Pitino didn't draft!). And Peja was unimpressive his first year. Your bias against Euros shows through...
I hope you guys eat your crow when Boki has a coming out party later this year or the next. Don't give up so easily.
Don't forget about TMo he gets some good minutes as well he should, Hawk is also getting time. I think this is all that needs to be said about Nachbar. Rudy is letting him come along slowly while playing the plethora of other capable 3s of the roster. Nachbar is not going anywhere this year or next but any of the rest of these guys could be traded at any time. Lets let everyone see what they can do. A quality bench 3-4 like TMo could be the difference in a trade for say... Brand.
I have to agree with HeyP about the Dirk vs Pau issue. In the NBAdraft profile, they said Nachbar was perhaps the most NBA ready of all the players in the lottery. Saying he'll be slow to develop like Dirk is just making excuses for him. Pau was NBA ready. Nachbar should have been too. Nachbar came in and totally blew away the Rockets with his tryout, though, just as Stoudamire did. The Rockets were thrilled to get him at #15. But, the real issue, IMO, is his injury. He's very athletic, and hasn't been able to use his speed to get to his spots, and get his shot off smoothly. He also needs playing time to adjust to the speed of the NBA game. Now, if Rudy puts him in during the second half of the season, and he doesn't respond, I think I'll have to agree with you guys about him being a bust, and I don't think I'll have a "wait until next year" attitude. Of course, I won't have a choice, will I? lol Good point, about Rudy viewing him as a rookie for next year... I noticed that too. I wonder why? Rudy must know something that we don't.
I watched his warm up practice before a game one time. He's definitely an excellent shooter. He got pretty quick release, but somehow he hesitated in the game. I think it's b/c he't not mentally ready yet. That also causes his shoot-first attitude during the trash time. To me he's smart at court but just trying to hard to score. He should be a very good play maker. Unargubally, this guy is smooth. I see his drive would develop to be as 'graceful' as Grant Hill's. Usually you have smooth because you can foresee the opponent's move. That's also why i say he's a smart player. The biggest worry is about his D. Almost all Euro players have this problem. Dirk, Pau, Peja are still not top D players yet. Kukoc, Divac, Radja had never been...
How can ANY ROOK BE A BUST in his rookie year unless the guy just plain flat-out sucks? Dunleavy, Boki -- give them both, + Wilcox and Ely, + others some time to acclimatize to the LEAGUE. By the 3rd year their possibilities will be realized, good or not. Do you really think GS couldn't get a king's ransom for MD if he were put on the market? Hey, I'd even offer up #2 (gee, do their salaries match???).
What happened to all the talk about Boki that was going on last summer? Didn't he hit like 15 shots in a row and Stevie was trying to do the same so that he wouldn't be out done by a rookie? Doesn't anyone remember these things? Give Boki a summer of "balling" at the Westside with steve a Cat. He will be better.
Since the beginning of the season, I've heard Rudy T refer to Boki as, "Next year's first round draft pick, since we don't really get a first round draft pick next year." I think your expectations of Boki are a bit too lofty if you expect him to be some scoring machine.
Obviously you do not have HDTV. I am sure I have seen almost every minute Boki has played this season and I am quite I have not seen enough to pass judgement on his game. If anything he has been impressive with his no-fear mentally and athletic ability going forward. But the odds are against assuming assuming the Rockets resign both Terrence Morris and James Posey + Glen Rice coming back next year-his final year. His only problem now and for a long time will be playing time not because he cannot play but because the guys ahead of him are more experienced and playing quite well. His only chance IMO of him seeing some playing time in the near future will be if Mobley is traded away and Jame Posey moved to the SG position. In all I still believe Boki Nachbar will eventually become a Stojakovic/Turgkolu kind of player but it may not be here in Houston. He is NEITHER A BUST NOR A DISAPPOINTMENT - if anything or anyone should be blamed it should the injury he suffered before the season started or Coach Rudy T.
Guess I have seen him during most of his garbage time cameos. Really unfair to judge him at this point. He looks a little overwhelmed by the speed & physicality (is that a word??), but that's to be expected when transitioning from Europe to NBA. If he can flat out shoot when it counts, there will be a place in the league for him - just ask Bull. Let's give him a chance before summarily calling him a bust. D R
I for one wanted the Rox to get Q. Woods, but don't see how you can call Boki a bust 48 games into his first season. From what I have seen, which isn't alot, he hasn't a clue what to do on the defensive side of the ball, which could be why he isn't getting alot of minutes. Hopefully Boki can adjust to a half set offense, and become a better defender in the next couple of years, or we will be calling him a bust.
