Boone Filling In, Hoping for the Best

Boone is STEPPING UP!!! Rebounds, hustle play, short jumpshot, this is what we need from Josh Boone.

He’s definitely a capable basketball player.

The Nets have made their decision on Sean Williams. He is not coming back next year and they are actively trying to dump him. They have not made their decision on Josh Boone. He will be a restricted free agent next July. They can renounce his rights or sign him outside the cap…since they have his Bird Rights…or they can wait for another team to make an offer then consider matching it.

They would have a better chance of dumping Sean if they would showcase him more. However, when the team as 8 players and the coach players 7 (6 of whom are not starters!) and not Sean, it sends a signal that other teams should also avoid Swat.

LFrank may not be going along with management’s desires on this one. Frank is focused on a first win. Maybe Frank will wait for a game that Nets have no chance to win, and play Swat in garbage time.

Unless Swat is able to impress another club, his departure would have to wait until some multiplayer (multiteam) trade later on, or else he will be bought out to make room for someone else.

Regarding Boone, it took 7 injuries to convince Frank that Boone can play PF alongside BLopez. If Battie returns soon (before Yi), it will be interesting to see if Boone gets more minutes at PF.

I wonder why that Denver problem with Swat is taking so long to get resolved. Nothing will be decided anytime soon at least until the court decision is made and Proky is on board. If it goes the right way for the team then hopefully after the new year changes will be made but the plan still might be to lose for the pick so nothing substantial will be done. For me I hope Swat gets traded asap so he gets his chance to play for a team that won’t put a gimmick in front of him. Although I believe the team wants to lose, you know the coach doesn’t, but he is so clueless he can’t help himself. The best part of this drama is yet to come. Like I said first comes the injuries, boy did they come (I’m guessing that Harris had about 35 second opinions to get a doctor to say it was worse than originally thought) cuz who wants to play for this loser coach but soon the dissention will creep in and that’s when the sh-t hits the fan. This reminds me of the early Isiah coaching days when management tolerated his incompetence and it grew worse and worse. The only difference is our coach is a respectable guy and Thomas is a joke.

Boonie looked good last night, rebounding, blocks, passes even made a j. Of course he was not in at the end when Speights got the key off reb. Shortfrank had to go small of course. Josh should continue to start at the 4 and when yi comes back move Yi to the 3 where his weak, Mel Counts game, belongs and let him earn his minutes coming off the bench.
ShortFrank is a jerk for not playing Swat any minutes. You have 8 guys and you only play 7 when you are getting limited contribution from 3 of them. Swat could have contributed something and you keep everyone on the roster contributing and feeling like a part of the team, Just another example of how little clue Shortfrank has.
I cant take it any more.

Boone, unlike Yi, has shown an ability to develop as a player. It doesn’t always mean you rocket to all star, but Boone is showing that he is capable of being a longtime NBA’er.

I hope this comment gets posted.

@ netsnuts: weren’t the sixers going small as well with Speights at the 5 and Young, Igudola, Green, and Ivey around him? Nets countered with Lopez, Simmons, Hassel, TWill, and Alston, I beleive. I don’t think Boone could keep up with Young-no Nets could. Plus hack-a-Boone at the end of a game sucks.

Boone:

I like Boone. I would not overvalue the guy right now. He has made some incremental improvements. He’s hustling, good rebounder, can block a shot. Making some nifty passes too. He has no offensive game. As a good rebounder with mobility he gets the ball in good spots but bricks too many layups, and he can’t shoot. We all know this.

They have questioned his “motor” before. If he’s turning it on because it’s contact time – be wary of these types. At best, he’s a decent back-up big man on a good team. If he starts on your team then you must be sucking. I like the guy but he’s totally replaceable and there are many guys who bring what he brings without some of the glaring weaknesses. If he’s back here next year as a back-up, that alright, but they should sniff around for better all-around talent at eth big positions either to back up Lopez and Yi or to flat out beat out Yi if he does not pan out this year and next, whci is somewhat likely.

@Oh Really??..Yes, Really!!: Good points but just because the other team goes small doesn’t mean you have to as well. I would take length, shot blocking and the rebounding anytime. Going small hadn’t worked up till then. How many times do we go small and then other team ends up killing Nets on big O rebs down the stretch. Take Boone out if neccarry on O possessions down stretch.

Boone is not Karl Malone but despite his drawbacks he provides team with length, shotblocking and rebounding, which you tend to need in the NBA, something Shortfrank doesn’t seem to get. Boone is a back up 4 on a legit NBA team. We are a sucky NBA team and he is the best we have at the position and has played about 2 games in 4 years at the power forward. Let him play

PLEASE NETS, KEEP BOONE AND TRADE YI TO MY CELTICS!!! YEAH!!!

J.Boone should start at PF for the rest of the year. Come fourth quarter take him out becuase he cannot hit free throws when they are needed. With four other guys scoring in the first unit the team now has balance in its starting lineup. When healthy the starting lineup should be D.Harris/PG C.Douglas Roberts/SG
J.Hayes/SF B.Lopez/C J.Boone/PF
This lineup can fastbreak and run along with playing defense. How Refreshing. Go Brooklyn Nets! Go Brooklyn Nets!

L.Frank you did it all last year by being stubborn and starting Yi at PF. Don’t make the mistake this year after everybody comes back from injury. Yi belongs with the second unit along K.Dooling/PG C.Lee/SG T.Williams/SF T.Battie/C
Coach Frank do the right thing and show us the fans that you really can manage a game and platoon players correctly. The players are young and lose because you are not leading them correctly. I know it is hard knowing this is your last year based on your overpaid contract. But show some pride and do it right. Go Brooklyn Nets! Go Brooklyn Nets!

@Jerry25 Says: Don’t worry about trading S.Williams because getting somebody for him is not the answer. Just enjoy the season as is with the team making no harsh moves. WHY? Because next year there will be a cleaning up that will improve the team along with two first round picks. So there is no need to worry about trades and L. Frank this year because the team can wait until next year to turn the corner. The core is there and Rod/Kiki did a hell of job in two years to change 14 players on this team. Watch L.Frank fired after the year, draft two solid forwards in the draft maybe C.Aldrich/C G.Monroe/PF Contracts expire on the following and are gone. T.Battie, S.Williams, T.Hassell, R.Alston, B.Simmons, E.Najera. By not jumping the gun this year we clear more overpaid players and get two solid players in the draft that can come in right away and contribute. Now watch College ball and follow C. Adrich and G. Monroe. Then ask yourself would C.Aldrich make a great backup to B.Lopez and G.Monroe could start at PF ASAP next B.Lopez? J.Boone then goes to the bench and fights with Yi for second unit playing time. So there is no need to get crazy this year. As far as the coach goes. Well I would love to get Jabbar however, based on his recent illness I don’t thimnk he may interested. Wish the man well. Now there are other options out here but that is for another discussion when L. Frank topic comes up. Go Brooklyn Nets! Go Brooklyn Nets!

Josh should be a keeper. He’s looking pretty solid next 2 Brook.

I guess better late than never, but why couldn’t OPIE put him at the 4 before? Why did it take so many injuries for Opie to realize he needed to play Josh at the 4? Why did he waste so many time with bums like Simmons and Najera? That just shows you how stubborn this coach is.

Yeah, out of the scrap heap of Simmons, Najera, Sean Williams, and even Yi, perhaps Boone is the best PF the Nets have. I don’t have hopes that Battie can contribute. Oh man that is just so pathetic. That’s my opinion. Please trade Alston and/or Battie when Dooling gets healthy for a young big with some upside, which ain’t happening so let’s go Boone!

I like Josh but what really drives me nuts is that he can’t catch the ball. Why does his body bounce when he’s taking a free throw? Wishing you the best Josh…You are the best 4 we got!

Unless Battie is healthy and can play at least at last year’s level, Boone will be primarily used at the backup for BLopez. Nets need to draft someone who can play backup center, unless they can get Marcus Camby this year.
Frank was planning to use Battie at backup PF, but apparently his arthritis has slowed him down too much.

Frank will surely start Yi at PF. Of course Boone is better than Yi. However, the Nets need to rack up some more losses in 2009, and at the same time Yi gets more experience so that he can be a solid reserve for the future Nets.

As far as Simmons, he is good trade bait before the deadline. His shooting percentage should come around at some point. When it does, hopefully his value would go up.
Otherwise, he is just a bad SF.