payitforward wrote:I agree! Especially, because I think my post will take us to P.2 of this quickly-developing thread!
Dang! Not quite!
Can we call that your Big Bonga Theory?
Hey, it worked to get to start the second page.
Moderators: LyricalRico, nate33, montestewart
payitforward wrote:I agree! Especially, because I think my post will take us to P.2 of this quickly-developing thread!
Dang! Not quite!
payitforward wrote:Poor Isaac Bonga -- we get one post onto page two, & then... phhhht.
daSwami wrote:Apparently he's starting tonight. Not sure how I feel about that.
daSwami wrote:Apparently he's starting tonight. Not sure how I feel about that.
Ruzious wrote:I want to see good basketball. I don't think he is capable of any extended good basketball at this point in his career, so I don't want to see him play. Ideally, he should be learning in the G League this season.
long suffrin' boulez fan wrote:daSwami wrote:Apparently he's starting tonight. Not sure how I feel about that.
I'm fine with him starting tonight given that our opening game is tomorrow night, right? As long as he doesn't start that one.
I_Like_Dirt wrote:Ruzious wrote:I want to see good basketball. I don't think he is capable of any extended good basketball at this point in his career, so I don't want to see him play. Ideally, he should be learning in the G League this season.
I'm reasonably confident that the team (coaches and management alike) are keeping him around and playing him because he's actually showing better on defense than his competition for PT. I know the talk is about how the team is focused on offense first but that isn't necessarily true. I think the team is focused on guys who play team-ball on both ends of the floor first. The team doesn't want individuals who play one-on-one defense; they want guys who will be in the position the coaching staff asks them to be in on defense. And likewise on offense, they don't seem to be worried so much about any specific individual skill as they are on guys who will move the ball and play within the team structure.
The guys who keep getting passed around the league and it isn't quite clear why based on their individual skillsets usually tend to be guys who just can't quite buy in. I heard Nick Nurse recently absolutely ripping into Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson for their defensive effort and attention levels. Those guys were considered by fans to be primarily defenders because their offense was so limited but they're absolutely not making the grade right now as they struggle to stay in the league at all. And it doesn't mean they're bad defenders, just that the guys making the grade in the current NBA are working even harder.
If Bonga is a player who busts his ass and does what the coaches tell him to do, which seems likely to be the case given how coaches have responded to him thus far, then he's probably going to play more than maybe he otherwise would, particularly on this current Wizards team.
payitforward wrote:
This makes sense, but... will he be able to play with a busted ass?
Ruzious wrote:I want to see good basketball. I don't think he is capable of any extended good basketball at this point in his career, so I don't want to see him play. Ideally, he should be learning in the G League this season.
nate33 wrote:Ruzious wrote:I want to see good basketball. I don't think he is capable of any extended good basketball at this point in his career, so I don't want to see him play. Ideally, he should be learning in the G League this season.
I agree, but I understand the move here.
I think Brooks considers McRae as the primary substitute at guard, and Bertans as the primary substitute at forward. Both guys are going to play 24-28 minutes a night and anchor the second unit. While either guy could surely start at SF and be better than Bonga, Brooks can't afford to do so because depriving the second unit of their minutes would make the 2nd unit truly look like a G-League squad.
Ultimately, Bonga was going to have to play some minutes, it's just a question of whether those minutes should be with the starters or the 2nd unit. I can see how starting Bonga, and then going to the bench a bit early to bring in one of McRae/Bertans will keep the rotation more balanced.
So the only real question was whether it would be Bonga or Schofield. Brooks went with the guy who has actually played regular season NBA games and is probably less likely to be a defensive liability.