Could Boozer actually be a 6th man?

by Dan.The.Man. on Jun 2, 2011 1:07 PM CDT

I don't want to take credit for this, as I saw it mentioned on another board, but in the event that GarPax are unable to flip Boozer for anything (and I have to think the asking price is pretty low), could he work out to be our offensive firepower coming off of the bench? Would matchups early against backups help to get him into the flow a little more and boost his confidence (and maybe even his rise off the ground)? Certainly not crazy about the team's highest paid player coming off of the bench, but scorers like Jason Terry, Manu (though his DEF is better than the others) and Harden have nice roles for themselves coming off the bench, re-igniting the team and often finish games.

Thoughts?

(And please keep in mind, Boozer for Stephen Jackson, Brandon Roy, Ryan Anderson, a dirty sock or a jar of mustache wax all seem like good deals for GarPax to me)

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Players like Manu, Terry, Harden, etc..

can create shots for themselves, Boozer cant. He relies on Rose and others to get him the ball in specific spots to score. Having him on the floor with Rose is essential because Rose is constantly seeing doubles and Boozer should ideally see single coverage and be able to take advantage. You have him play with the bench and he’s getting doubled and would be useless offensively.

Also, the idea that benching Boozer would help boost his confidence is laughable at best.

by brose on Jun 2, 2011 1:56 PM CDT reply actions

Harden can't create for himself

He’s been pretty crappy save for the playoffs….but he has ok upside. Don’t yet put him in the Manu/Terry level.

The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.

by majoyenrac on Jun 2, 2011 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

I disagree..

One of Harden’s biggest strengths is his ability to get to the rim. He’s not super athletic but he is crafty as hell, ala Paul Pierce. He knows how to create space for himself, period. Playing with Westbrook and Durant he doesnt get nearly as many shots/possessions as he should as a 2 guard. He’s also only played 2 years in the league, I would refrain from calling him crappy. I’ve been impressed with his D as well.

Let him start, which I’m sure he will next season, and he can give you 18-20 a night, get to the line 6-7 times per game, hit the 3, and play solid man D. He would be a great fit with the Bulls actually.

by brose on Jun 2, 2011 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs

I agree with him not fiiting well on the bench

But it’s become obvious that he doesn’t fit this team’s personality much at all. He doesn’t complement Noah’s skill set like GarPax thought he would. I noticed that in the reg games that they actually played at the same time (not many) they never coexisted well at all.

The Bulls were the strongest with one or the other but not both. If Booze can’t play off the bench, then either Noah has to or Booze has to be moved out of town. Honestly, I felt like the Bulls would’ve had a better chance if Booze got hurt bad right before the playoffs. He gives up easy points all game long, every game. Whatever he scores rarely makes up for what he gives up, and you can’t measure the momentum shifts that his sloppy defensive habits constantly give up.

A good offensive opponent can exploit Boozer’s defense to change the momentum of the game at literally any moment he’s on the floor. Defensive teams need consistency to break their opponents down methodically and Boozer will always be a titanic size hole in the frontcourt defense.

He’s not much tougher than Bosh, if at all. I still think Stoudemire would’ve been a slightly better fit, if nothing else he’s got a tougher attitude.

by JayDangles on Jun 3, 2011 6:54 AM CDT up reply actions