Could someone please explain this obsession with Boki?

Whew! I'm glad you posted this...it's more reasonable...

I can't speak for others...Nachbar being "white" is not an issue to me. I think of Nachbar as a potential: James Posey or Andrei Kirilenko offensively. Defense is another story. If we could get Posey back I would jump on that opportunity in a minute!

Why do I think that Nachbar can be our "Posey(SF)" or "Kirilenko(PF)" is because of his frame. Nachbar has a unique frame that only a few players have. His long arms, legs, large hands, short torso and big feet (balance) give him that special ability to stride the court on fast breaks and long drives to the basket. This will also give him an advantage on shot blocks (hence Malone). He's not disproportionate like Langhi. Nachbar actually has balance and is proportional. He can also see the court and pass pretty well for a SF.

Now, it's true that a lot of what I'm talking about are just dimensional "advantages." Whether or not he uses them to their full potential is another question. That we'll know the longer he's in the league. So far, in my eyes, he wont become Dan Langhi. But he's not Posey either. Not yet. Don't believe me that he can achieve that level? Ok fine. But that's what I see. Posey scored 8ppg in 27 minutes his first two years. Nachbar scores 3ppg in 11 minutes. What's Nachbar's problem? Conditioning to the NBA. He can't defend man-on-man either. That must improve in order for Nachbar to say in the league (not just w/the Rox).

Also note that some people like Nachbar for "happy go lucky" reasons; because he's a Rocket or because he "hammered" Malone. But my view is not about that. It's about his physical dimensions (physical advantages that I mentioned above).

He is not void of heart either. From the game tape that I've watched overseas he's shown toughness before (not just against Malone). He doesn't back down and he's shown toughness before he was in the NBA. So that tells me a little about his heart and drive.

"Keeping" Nachbar should not be a detriment to getting McGrady. No way. That would be silly. We all know that Nachbar is "just" a role player....But once McGrady gets here, role players (like Nachbar) jobs become easier. And this will give him time to adjust conditioning wise to the league. If Nachbar does not improve each year, then he'll get traded. Plain and simple. But it's too soon in IMO.

Also remember that production numbers alone don't always tell the whole story about a role player (see Chris Andersen and Eduardo Najara).

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3437/career
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3598/career

I'm sure there are a lot of "anti-Nachbar" posters would love to see Najara on our team. Even though his "numbers" aren't that impressive.

Now, I hope this post is about assessing Nachbar with my head and not my heart. Because if Nachbar does not improve over time! He's gone! But at least give him more minutes to make mistakes and let him do his thing. He has the tools to play. Let him.

I'm just glad that you (Sam) explained that you don't have any jealously toward Nachbar; that you wanted Nachbar to fail because he's white. That would be just as bad as wanting someone to fail because they are black.

If Posey was a two-year player and only averaged 3ppg w/limited minutes, I'd say the same thing about him (because of his physical dimensions). I actually was one of the few that liked Carlos Rogers (and Carl Herrera) for the same type of reasons. Too bad Rudy didn't like Rogers.

P.S. My suggestion that Nachbar play "point-foward" is part humor, part serious. What I mean is this: I don't want Nachbar to be our starting point. But I DO think that he can bring the ball up the court, sometimes, similar to the way that Drexler and Pippen did. He has "point skills." Why not use them sometimes?

 

Boki just needs minutes. When he got PT late in the season, he did pretty well, particularly on defense. He played a few solid minutes in Game 3 against LA......and the fact that he tried to beat the crap out Fe-mail Man in Game 4.

Give him minutes. He will end up better than Ginobili.

 

I highly Doubt he'll be anywhere near as good as Ginobili!. he can be a descnt player, but nothing like Ginobili!. He should work on his best asset and ry to become a defensive Stopper!. thats where his Real Value is to the team!.you gotta understand you're limittions to a Certian extent and play to you're Strengths.

 

I think that if Boki wasn't so damn foul prone he would have seen a lot more minutes. He didn't look that bad on offense, he just has to work on his shot (which can be improved with hard work) and his skills finishing at the basket (more difficult to refine, IMHO).

On defense, he really need to work on that footwork. He isn't terribly slow laterally, but he tends to get in trouble when teams isolate against him by moving his feet all over the place and eventually having to use his hands. His post defense and weakside D looked fairly solid.

The thing I liked most about Boki was his toughness. He wasn't afraid to take it on the chin and got dunked on more times than I can remember ('Melo and GWallace both got him really bad). Of course, there was the foul on Malone too, which wins points with most of us.

 

try about 15 posts before your request....

 

For me, it's about the style, and the effort...and I hate to say this, but yes the cool name, and the Karla Malone attack...

Race has no implication with me despite Sammy's outward, skewed, and hedonistic view...

 

I have no Idea what the obsessionis around here for the guy.....I thought he was a project on a 3 year plan....but here we are 3 years later and hes still a project not much better than the day we drafted him........

I guess we should give him three more years and a contract extension to try and figure this out

I swear if it wasn't an uncontested dunk...Boki got his shot batted into somebodies nachos in the second row......everysingle time....it was hilarious and nerve wrackin at the same time

 

jshabang, check your math. A "three year plan" would include the 3rd year, right? At least let him complete it before you include it in a post.

 

Apparently, jshabang didn't read my post.

He's only had ONE actual year of coaching attention and development.

 

Nice try you racist!!!!!!

 

So trying to put all of this thread together - excepting the racial discussion...

What I am hearing is we like Boki because he is good looking, youthful, has a good body, is energetic, works "hard", and got it on with Karla.

If he speaks with a lisp, I'm worried.

 

Boki has a lot of potential. He's a great finisher, plays good D, decent passer, hustles, has a high basketabll IQ, and has shown that he can hit the 3's. I'm really glad he wasn't in the deal for T-Mac. He's gonna be a major contributor next year.

 

Boki v. Karla

I'm a fan of his for the rest of his career, I don't care if he rides the pine until he retire.

 

It has been two years and Nachbar has yet to show that he can play NBA ball. We should have drafted Tayshaun instead of this boki srub.

 

Did you watch the playoffs?

He is good for at least drawing 2 charging fouls every time he is on the court.

The guy plays hard, he is still young, and he is working at making himself better. I think he will be a solid role player in the future.

 

You dug up a three week old thread to say that?

 

During a Van Gundy interview with John and Lance (Before the whole T-Mac thing, early June I think), JVG said Nachbar knows that this is make or break time for him. He said Nachbar was working very hard on his game during the offseason to be ready.

I look for Nachbar to have anywhere from a good to break-out season, partly due to him being up for a contract extension.

 

If you really want an insurance for Yao-in-Houston, sign Liu Wei, The Sac training camp attendee and starting point guard of Shanghai Shark as the third string point guy for league minimum.

 

If race were an issue we wouldn’t have dogged Matt Maloney so much. With Boki, I see a person that has potential. I like the way he slashes to the basket. I watched him shoot in the Rockets practice gym and he was shooting the lights out. The guy is an excellent shooter. The problem is that he has not shot to his full potential in the game. Also, he is a good passer. Last year he was the only one that constantly got the ball to Yao, Not just passed it to Yao, but got it to him when he was in good position.