Pops Mensah Bonsu?

azuresou1 · Post #1 » by **azuresou1** » Mon Jul 6, 2009 11:47 pm

Why does this guy get no recognition? He's a minimum salary player who's big, runs the floor, plays with lots of energy and hustle, defends, and is pretty athletic. He absolutely demolished the D-League, and after he got called up played respectably for a backup big, including a 21/8 game against Indiana in only 22 minutes.

It absolutely baffles me why, as a free agent, he gets no mention, and in particular our team, which would desperately love us some big men, even if they're not a true center, wouldn't contact him with an offer when probably anything over league minimum would seal the deal.

azuresou1 · Post #2 » by **azuresou1** » Mon Jul 6, 2009 11:48 pm

Also, in many ways, he reminds me of a less-gifted Smoove, but with more hustle, and without the questionable basketball IQ.

HoopsGuru25 · Post #3 » by **HoopsGuru25** » Tue Jul 7, 2009 1:07 am

He has rebounded well in Europe,the NBDL,and the few chances he's gotten to play in the NBA. I would definitely be interested in him for the minimum. Did the Raptors renounce him when they signed Turk?

Harry10 · Post #4 » by **Harry10** » Tue Jul 7, 2009 1:33 am

is he better than Othello Hunter? if so, then i'm all for it.

evildallas · Post #5 » by **evildallas** » Tue Jul 7, 2009 5:05 am

Othello hasn't had a chance yet (92 minutes on court last regular season). I expect bigger things out of him this year if given a chance.

azuresou1 · Post #6 » by **azuresou1** » Tue Jul 7, 2009 5:37 am

I do believe that Pops is better than Othello. Not only is he bigger and stronger and IMO more skilled, but I think he plays with more energy and hustle as well. My worry would be that Toronto would match with the QO for anything we'd offer, since he's a fan favorite in Toronto.

Harry10 · Post #7 » by **Harry10** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 1:44 am

basically, i wouldn't mind as long as the price is right....... but i would rather the Hawks go after some bigger free agents, then go after Pops if the Hawks still need a backup PF.

evildallas · Post #8 » by **evildallas** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 7:07 am

I know he's a fan favorite in Toronto, but I've not seen enough court time out of Bonsu to make such definitive claims. In another thread I attempted my guess at final roster and it's changed my mindset on signing another big. After hopefully signing Zaza and Marvin we'll have our first 9 set with Mario (unless he improves his offense) and Randolph near the end of the bench. You figure to that adding two of Solomon, Othello, or a undrafted rookie big (like Siler or Bryant) and it leaves us with a spot for an insurance PG and a rotation big (PF or C). The PG could be someone like Flip although he could hurt Teague's development by taking too many minutes or some minimum salary vet who's just around in case of injury (hopefully never needed). It's possible they leave that slot open and sign someone only in the event of injury.

For that rotation big I now have my sites set higher. I would like to see someone along the lines of David Andersen or a quality vet like Antonio McDyess or Drew Gooden or someone young who's shown more like Ike Diogu (same age as Pops, but 7 times as many NBA minutes, not as prolific a rebounder, but better all around game). Pops strikes me as a 3rd string level guy and possibly a lateral move from Solomon Jones. While I'm willing to concede a roster spot to the guaranteed contract of Randolph Morris and another one or two to develop a promising young player (like Othello Hunter or possibly Siler), I think we need someone that we can rely on for 15 good minutes a night. A player isn't that useful if Woodson won't play him. If we have to deal with Josh Childress in a S&T, then I'm not opposed to bringing in someone like Kurt Thomas to fill the bill. Basically someone who can rebound and play D at a veteran NBA level is my preferred get for the position.

azuresou1 · Post #9 » by **azuresou1** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 7:31 am

We absolutely can't take another PG, or Teague will be Acie 2.0.

David Andersen is never going to come stateside.
Dyess is too old.
Gooden doesn't have his head straight.
I don't think Diogu will ever be good for more than 1 game a year, and he's already been around the league for a long time.

Pops is a 2nd/3rd string level guy, but all the same he can be a 15 minute guy for us. If he can do for us what Birdman did for Denver, it'd be a tremendous steal; if he merely does what he did for Toronto, he'd still be a good pickup, since big men who play with energy, confidence, and presence are things that can help any team. Those are attributes you can't teach, and attributes that rub off on teammates.

Watch these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmc7zk2_ ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLCo66av7KI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT7L5JZj ... re=related

I'll take a chance on Pops any day, especially since at most he'll probably make $2 million. At most.

And just for fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_v3tFy3 ... re=related

Smoove might be jealous.

niffoc4 · Post #10 » by **niffoc4** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 10:02 pm

For the minimum I'd take him (on an unguaranteed contract? even better). His Euroleague experience probably puts him further along the development curve than Hunter or Jones...

BMF Jet Jaguar · Post #11 » by **BMF Jet Jaguar** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 11:54 pm

i loved pops when he was with the mavs(my other team). I would be ecstatic if we signed pops to a small contract, the hawks are the perfect team for him. He could defiantly be an atleast average backup. Seems like a low risk-high reward sign to me.

jcldallas24 · Post #12 » by **jcldallas24** » Thu Jul 9, 2009 8:03 am

The guy is crazy when he's on the floor as you can see from those vids loved him when he was in Dallas too bad he got cut.

HoopsGuru25 · Post #13 » by **HoopsGuru25** » Thu Jul 9, 2009 8:09 am

azuresou1 wrote:We absolutely can't take another PG, or Teague will be Acie 2.0.

David Andersen is never going to come stateside.
Dyess is too old.
Gooden doesn't have his head straight.
I don't think Diogu will ever be good for more than 1 game a year, and he's already been around the league for a long time.

Pops is a 2nd/3rd string level guy, but all the same he can be a 15 minute guy for us. If he can do for us what Birdman did for Denver, it'd be a tremendous steal; if he merely does what he did for Toronto, he'd still be a good pickup, since big men who play with energy, confidence, and presence are things that can help any team. Those are attributes you can't teach, and attributes that rub off on teammates.

Watch these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmc7zk2_ ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLCo66av7KI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT7L5JZj ... re=related

I'll take a chance on Pops any day, especially since at most he'll probably make $2 million. At most.

And just for fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_v3tFy3 ... re=related

Smoove might be jealous.

That windmill was sick.

azuresou1 · Post #14 » by **azuresou1** » Thu Jul 9, 2009 9:00 pm

HoopsGuru25 wrote:
azuresou1 wrote:We absolutely can't take another PG, or Teague will be Acie 2.0.

David Andersen is never going to come stateside.
Dyess is too old.
Gooden doesn't have his head straight.
I don't think Diogu will ever be good for more than 1 game a year, and he's already been around the league for a long time.

Pops is a 2nd/3rd string level guy, but all the same he can be a 15 minute guy for us. If he can do for us what Birdman did for Denver, it'd be a tremendous steal; if he merely does what he did for Toronto, he'd still be a good pickup, since big men who play with energy, confidence, and presence are things that can help any team. Those are attributes you can't teach, and attributes that rub off on teammates.

Watch these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmc7zk2_ ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLCo66av7KI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT7L5JZj ... re=related

I'll take a chance on Pops any day, especially since at most he'll probably make $2 million. At most.

And just for fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_v3tFy3 ... re=related

Smoove might be jealous.

That windmill was sick.

I would definitely give Pops a 5 year contract based just solely on those. He'd probably take anything over minimum anyways, and let's be honest, if we get anyone half-decent for the minimum, we struck the lottery, so why not take a chance on the big man with Euroleague experience who can throw down a windmill with his head at the rim and plays with energy, hustle, and confidence?

Would you really rather have Othello Hunter or Solomon Jones? Really?