Official Thread: Josh Boone

[admin]

Josh Boone, C
21 years old 6'10" 230 lbs.
Connecticut, Junior

Check out the complete profile at: Full Profile (http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=54)

[TheRedStorm]

Anyone think theres any truth behind the rumors that the knicks gave a promise to Josh Boone? Your take?

I think at #29 hes a more than solid pick if still available and definitely an ideal role player for a Knick squad that consists of players that need the ball. He could definitely assist in the rebounding and post defense defencies of Eddy Curry as well as add another solid passing big man (in addition to Channing Frye and David Lee). Could also be good for player development for the other big men of the squad during practice (again, for Frye and Lee specifically). Boones offensive game is somewhat limited, and though it wont be his role, should see some quality development under big man coach Mark Agguire.

[MikeATL]

Anyone think theres any truth behind the rumors that the knicks gave a promise to Josh Boone? Your take?

I think at #29 hes a more than solid pick if still available and definitely an ideal role player for a Knick squad that consists of players that need the ball. He could definitely assist in the rebounding and post defense defencies of Eddy Curry as well as add another solid passing big man (in addition to Channing Frye and David Lee). Could also be good for player development for the other big men of the squad during practice (again, for Frye and Lee specifically). Boones offensive game is somewhat limited, and though it wont be his role, should see some quality development under big man coach Mark Agguire.

My sources tell me that there is no truth to the rumors the Knicks promised Boone a pick. In fact, some are telling me that he's a bubble first round pick. It makes no sense for the Knicks to make this offer. I haven't heard anyone but Boone make the claim the offer was given.

[point god]

Boone is considered by many to be a late 1st round pick, and maybe even slip into the early 2nd. If the rumors hold true, and the Lakers trade Odom for the #2 and #16, then chances are they take Roy at 2, and maybe a player like Armstrong or Sene at 16. They then have the #26 pick. If the Lakers are able to land the guy they want at #2 with Roy, and add a big body at #16, then I think it would be a good spot at #26 to grab Boone. He is a proven shot blocker and has an NBA ready body. The Lakers need all the help they can get down low, and I think Boone could be a Varejao type of role player, and a valuable pick late in the 1st.

[fatdan]

I think boone going be a good rotation guy most likely better than most people expected

[coachjon]

i have always thought he has the capabilities of being a top bench player/ roleplaying starter. he plays hard, can get up and down the court, defend, and rebound the ball.

[AWalker17]

He always had the potential. The question was his work ethic, IMO.

[wombat6802]

Or his work ethic on the offensive end. He works hard on defense IMO, just has absolutely no semblence of an offensive game. That's been his problem.

[AWalker17]

Maybe Kidd will change all of it...seemed to work with my man Boki.

[ecuhus]

For the most part, you're right.

He does have one valuable skill that sets him apart from other one-dimensional garbagemen: he finishes the pick-and-roll beautifully. Kidd, Carter and Williams all use Boone to pick apart defenses, and he knows exactly where to be. Say what you want, but 75% of NBA bigmen do not know expertly how to execute this fundamental play.

To me, that was gravy. He was a late 1st-round pick, so the defense, hustle and reboundign were all I was hoping to get. But his modest half-court savvy goes above and beyond.

[Hitster]

He has been a new surprise for the Nets this season with the injuries he's seen more playing time than he'd have expected but already looks a useful bench prospect who can contribute at both ends of the court. Given a year or two he can get into the main rotation seeing towards 20mpg either as a role playing starter or first big man off the bench.

[ecuhus]

I agree 100%.

People panned the Nets' draft last year, saying that they were taking on two criminal headcases (Marcus 'Laptop' Williams and Hassan 'DUI' Adams) and one underachieving bigman. I defended the pick then as one of the top 5 draft classes of 2006, and I still do.

Williams and Adams are not perennial badboys, although they grew up in rough Cali neighborhoods. Adams was frustrated at the lack of Arizona's chemistry (see: Arizona's Marcus Williams, Chris Rodgers) and tried to overcompensate on the court and self-medicate off of it. When he is allowed to be a roleplayer (as he was in his brilliant sophomore year), he's a beast. It's the leadership role that burdened him, which is OK now since he figures to be more of a 6th man energy guy in the league. To get a one-time lottery lock in the late 2nd round is nice, I feel.

UConn's Marcus Williams made a mistake, by helping his friend sell laptops, AFTER the friend had stolen them. Stupid, but hardly sociopathic. He's proven he can lead NBA-caliber teams to greatness over his years at UConn, and he is the complete package. A good number of NBA scouts said they like Marcus better than Deron Williams, and if you've watched him play, you'll see why. Again, thanks to Laptopgate, he lands safely at #22 and gets mentored by his idol, Jason Kidd. Win-win.

Now Boone was a different story. His draft stock had him barely eeking into the 1st-round, so it's understandable that some would say we reached for him. To which I say, who would YOU have picked in his place? We needed a bigman for our thin, old frontcourt, especially one that can rebound, run the break and do the little things on offense and defense. He has all those skills, in spades. Paul Millsap was the only bigman in the draft left on the board behind Boone who has done better this year, and although I knew the 3-time NCAA rebounding leader was going to be good, no one (except Karl Malone) predicted he'd be this good this soon.

Kudos to Stefaneski, Thorn and Ratner; they did the right thing, for once.

[coachjon]

williams i think slipped more because of his workouts than he did over the laptops. i personally worked him out in california in front of NBA people along with other draft prospects and he doesn't look good in those things. he can't touch the bottom of the backboard, he was pudgy and out of shape, slow getting up and down the court etc. the things he bring to the table are his high basketball IQ, ability to run a team, although he is not quick he is shifty and knows how to weave through traffic by changing speeds. so if a team weighed his draft value on his workouts he was going to drop because he is not a guy that looks good in workouts that don't involve scrimmaging, which the one i worked at was like. we just put players through individual workouts primarlily shooting stuff.

[ecuhus]

I heard, though, that he carries the record at Boston Celtics workouts for most suicides in 3 minutes (26). Surely that had to put a dent in his reputation as an out-of-shape workout flop around the league.

Sure, his vertical isn't good, but you're right; he knows spacing and change-of-speed, so it often looks effortless whe nhe drives through the defense. He also has large hands, a good wingspan and great footwork. With time, I think he could become an admirable defender given his physical attirbutes, but his bread will always be buttered on offense, both in the half-court set and in transition.

[Cineast]

I've also noticed lately that Boone is really good at finishing pick'n roll plays. I think he'll be a very valuable contributor next year for the Nets.

[AWalker17]

Before everyone gets drunk on Boone, let me remind you how good Jason Collins looked in his rookie year with Kidd, as well.

[11player]

I've also noticed lately that Boone is really good at finishing pick'n roll plays. I think he'll be a very valuable contributor next year for the Nets.

I hope so.

Boone is a key component for next season, I hope he picks up right from his impressive end of the season and continues his good play.

With one more good PF the Nets will have enough to go all the way.

[AWalker17]

I hope so.

Boone is a key component for next season, I hope he picks up right from his impressive end of the season and continues his good play.

With one more good PF the Nets will have enough to go all the way.
Nets fan?

[alpineballer]

no matter what the upside of Boone in fact will be, the Nets did a good job in finding a future frontcourt with low picks.
Krstic + Boone look as if they might complement each other well and considering that they are both still only 23, there should be a lot of room for improvement left. and even if Boone ends up as a 15-20 minutes back-up big, he will be a very helpfull asset for the Nets future.
IMO overall the Nets did a very good job in the draft during the last years, even the pick of Marcus Williams might once be called a good one.
looking at a young core of Krstic-Boone-Wright-Williams, drafted without a single lottery pick, you have to give some props to Thorn.
(if they wouldn't have traded the rights to their pick Kyle Korver to the Sixers, he could be added and would be a perfect addition at SF to this line-up.)

[ecuhus]

I know! That Korver trade burned my britches!

Frank didn't think there was a spot in the rotation for a shooter, and Thorn "sold" him for $250,000 on draft day!

[wombat6802]

Nachbar, if given the same minutes, can do the same stuff that Korver does, actually even more, but I wouldn't get too worked up over losing Korver...

[AWalker17]

Nachbar, if given the same minutes, can do the same stuff that Korver does, actually even more, but I wouldn't get too worked up over losing Korver...
:) Joined the Nachbar bandwagon finally, eh?

[wombat6802]

I've liked him since he was on Houston. I also thought he had a great WBC for the most part, stepping up big time... He just hadn't found any place on the Nets last season, if anything, I wanted him to get traded..