On Chris Bosh, Canada’s favorite son

“The numbers are elite, the supporting cast has been solid (A core of Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, Marion and Jose Caledron should have been better than the bottom four teams in the Eastern Conference),”

Really? Calderon missed 14 games. Bargnani went from terrible to slightly below average. Marion only played 27 games with the Raptors, and it took him a while to find his groove, but they won 9 of the last 13 with him. Either way, he isn’t the difference maker he once was.

Joey Graham, Anthony Parker and Jason Kapono absorbed nearly one-third of the minutes for the Raps, and they played horribly. In our rotation, only Kwame Brown and Spellcheck posted comparable PERs, and both are known for their defense.

Plug in a player who ranks somewhere between 9th and 18th in the NBA, and I would expect them to win about 35 games with that squad.

Nice work Pardeep, always appreciate your articles here. They’re always a great read, engaging, funny, insightful.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, ad nauseum: I do not want Chris Bosh in a Pistons uniform. Dude will earn $16M next season, and will surely, without a doubt get a raise going into the 2010-11 season. I figure $20M for five years or so. While to some that may be justified, it really isn’t if you look at the facts.

As I’ve mentioned here before, Bosh is not a superstar when it comes to performance. While his personality and engagement of social media may earn that salary off-court, on-court he is decidedly not a superstar. Funny you mention Tracy McGrady, as T-Mac is quite a comparable figure in the NBA. Not by stats/position, but performance output.

My personal definition of a “superstar” talent is a player who can single-handedly will a team to victory. Think Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Tim Duncan, and to some extent Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, and hell— Chauncey Billups in rare spurts. These players can take a roster of decent players and push them over the edge, make them true competitors and CREATE victory in the face of fierce competition.

Chris Bosh ain’t one of those. In 2008-09, he had a roster (and a coach) BETTER than what he could have in Detroit in 2010. However, his team only won 33 games this year. That’s not the mark of a superstar. Dwyane Wade willed the Miami Heat to a 52.4% record with little to no help this season. Bosh played 77 games and couldn’t carry his team to jack fucking shit. Jose Calderon? Shawn Marion? Andrea Bargnani? CHRIS BOSH and 33 games…

So dude is going to get a $20M pay day come 2010. If that happens in Detroit, we’ll have $0 less to pay ANYONE to build around him, let alone our own existing contracts, to try and create a team that can do what we did in ‘04. Chris Bosh can take his $20M from anyone else, and I’ll gladly point and laugh when Toronto 2.0 happens in the city he moves to. Unless he’s paired with another super/all-star, he’ll do nothing for no one, but only upset his fans by complaining about the “other” teammates who don’t get HIS job done for him.

Last, for reference, look at New Orleans. While their roster is skullfucked by the Chandler/Peja contracts, David West only earns less than $9M this year and gets practically even production than Chris Bosh gets. note per36.

All of the above aside, I like CB4. I just don’t want the Pistons to have a goddamn thing to do with his contract come 2010.

Oh, and in all fairness to Tracy McGrady, he did will his team to victory once…

I just read this. WTF?? Count me out on this dude.

“Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star: “Yesterday, when Chris Bosh insisted he is worthy of the same money that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will surely receive next summer — ‘without a doubt,’ he said, no matter that a team built around him won 33 games this year — he pooh-poohed the idea of taking less for a chance at building a contender.”

Max money like Bron & Wade. Can anyone see him playing anywhere close to what Kobe did last nite? Granted, Kobe had a special nite, but Christ. Max money?

Man. I like Bosh. I like his game. I don’t like his hair, but I think I’ve just got some anti-dreads bias. Too many rastas in Albuquerque. But him thinking he’s worth LBJ money seals the deal – I’d prefer Stoudemire over Bosh now. And I hate Stoudemire’s game.

Thanks Bosh, but I’m not too interested in becoming the Pau era Grizzlies.

@ Shinions? Yeah. And his “taking less to build a contender?” WTF? Guy hasn’t won a playoff series, been in the league since 03 ( I think he came out after his soph season), ugh, Darko reminder and he doesn’t want to build a contender for 14M but wants 20M. Fuck him. Get me Amare.

It goes on to say that he needed 18 rebounds his last game to average 10 for the year and got 19 (I beleive in a blowout). Not that that’s wrong.

But can someone tell me WTF Kobe is being put in a 25 point blowout at 6:00 left in the 4th? For a lousy 4 points to get to 40? I don’t ever want to see anyone get hurt, particularly after having an ACL reconstruct in 86 and a broken ankle 3 months later on the opposite leg, but Christ, just a tweaked ankle (or jammed pinky, hmmm) just for being so F’n stupid and selfish.

If I’m SVG, I remind my players about that every single minute of practice. “This guy thought you guys played such soft defense he inserted himself back into the game at 6 minutes being 25 ahead because he knew he could get 4 quick points and wanted HIS 40!!”

And I loved JVG statement at that time a couple of minutes later referring to JJ Redick as the “Kobe stopper.” I nearly spit out my beer being as Kobe had missed 2 or 3 shots during that time

LeBron is a fun player to watch and I can’t wait to see where he ends up too. Similarly, Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were fun players to watch. I heard they are both competing in the Sports Legends Challenge…I wonder how that will end up?

@MP

I was watching that game live when it happened. Absolutely the best basketball performance I have ever seen, hands down. Too bad it was a regular season game that didn’t mean anything. Still, his career has been pretty tragic given how obviously talented the guy is. If he could stay healthy, I totally see him being paired another couple all-stars and winning a championship at some point, like Clyde with the Rockets or Boston’s team last year. He just can’t do it on his own— and honestly, who can? Duncan’s the only guy who’s ever won it all with basically no teammates (2003— Parker/Ginobli hadn’t really “arrived” as players yet).

??) Detroit Pistons: I don’t see it. I just don’t. As of right now, the Pistons are far from an attractive destination for free agents. After signing their universally adored (around the league) franchise point guard, they abruptly traded him away for cap purposes (no disrespect, eh?), have stubbornly anointed Rodney Stuckey as the savior even though he’s proven very little, have failed to develop young players (Max, Amir), employ a lame duck coach in Michael Curry and are trying to build around an aging and limited foundation in Prince and Hamilton. Also, Allen Iverson is a pretty popular player around the league, and I bet other superstars would side with him in the conflicts with the Pistons organization.

Or I could be wrong, Bosh will sign with the Pistons and by doing so, permanently remove himself from my Facebook fab-five, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

Brilliant article, of which the above was the highlight.

I don’t agree with everything, but the article is wildly entertaining and well-written. Kudos and great job!

Funny how everyone realizes that Detroit has a lame-duck coach, and the article only reiterates a concern I’ve expressed in the past, namely, that until Detroit makes a couple important moves, we’re not going to be a place that will attract FA’s, because certain FAs are only going to a contender.

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Bosh is also on Twitter. He’s fun to follow, and he even takes time to respond via twitter. Pretty cool, I think.

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@MBinSoCo:

Max money like Bron & Wade. Can anyone see him playing anywhere close to what Kobe did last nite? Granted, Kobe had a special nite, but Christ. Max money?

That’s scary.

He just can’t do it on his own– and honestly, who can?

No one. Even “The King”

vomits

BTW, anyone catch SVG’s comments after the game about the importance of game 1? It ranks up there with Sheed’s “both teams played hard” on the sarcasm scale. Can’t find a link, but it’s pretty good.

For some reason I cannot get out of my head the idea that though it seems we have many “good options” this off season, the Pistons will probably luck out on most and we’ll be very disappointed about the construction of our team going into the next season. Which is part of the reason I don’t want to see our first round pick let go for cap space, if we are unable to get a worthy player with that money, I’d hate us signing trash to fill the roster. I’d rather take a gamble with a cheaper young guy, like the 15th pick.

…and I posted that on the wrong article…crap.

Craig: SVG’s answer about the importance of game 1 (and 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) was awesome. I just saw it on TV a few minutes ago and I lol’ed.

I still like Bosh, even if he wants to get paid.

@ Garrett: “I still like Bosh, even if he wants to get paid.”

Me neither. Except he wants to get overpaid.

I still like Bosh, even if he wants to get paid.

#$!$^@5

Someone just repeat what he said already!!

I’m going to do this Bill Simmons style:
If we offer a sign-and-trade of Sheed+Tay+#15 for Amare Stoudemire, which side says no?

Phoenix.

Why is everyone hatinog on the Pistons. They aren’t bulding around Tayshaun and Rip, they’re planning for Stuckey to take the wheel. He hasn’t had outstanding numbers yet (had to make way for AI, who SUCKED for us), and does anyone remember 40 point and 38 point games of his, and oh yeah they came within a week of eachother. He will be big, and if he emerges as a star why wouldn’t you go to Detroit. Will Bynum, a nobody, actually is a good closer. He averaged like 7 a game and holds the franchise record for the most fourth-quarter points. So, I think the Pistons are actually a good destination for Bosh. Take 23 a night from Bosh, probably 17 from Stuckey, 15 from Tay, 16 from Rip, and Will Bynum in the fourth quarter, and you have a good team.

“Phoenix.”

Steve Nash.

Phoenix could probably sign Wallace if they want.

The Suns are already over the cap.

First: Bosh looks like the “predator” which while being sweet is not enough of a redeeming characteristic for the bloated mafia salary he will demand that will cripple his team of choice as many have said.

Second: excluding the last injury plagued season for Booze he has had two straight seasons of Bosh like numbers 20+ ppg and 10+ rpg
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/stats?playerId=1703
and while his heart is made of tin foil and dog turds he will come at a better price allowing the stones to avoid the folly of a middling superstar and the surrounding cast of middle school ballers.

On top of this wonderful gamble that Joe D. ( who I believe deserves trust through this season to be followed by some serious doubting Thomas shit if there was no bird in the hand or in the bush. ) Provided its not not mid range game Millsap and no handle Gordon ( even my Bulls love-slave cousin admits Gordon is a walking turn over/ bad shot ) I’m content to see how this game of 52 pickup turns out.

Cheers to the sale of Amir and ringing in the new season with the hammer of Thor. or.. ooops. The Popes Polish Hammer!!! Giddyup.

hmmm…after that max pay comment by bosh it kinda makes me question if he really has any heart either, or just want to play and doesn’t give a damn if hes on a mediocre team. he always seemed a lil under sized to be a center anyways. i guess i would be excited if he came to detroit under the right circumstances, and by that i mean not eating up every last drop of cap that we have.

i meant to say just wants to get paid and doesn’t care if he is on a mediocre team.

Well, if that article is correct in what he said about just wanting to get paid no matter the cost, then I guess I don’t want him in Detroit. I’ll take Boozer with Kanders magic fingers anyday because it would come a LOT cheaper it seems. Boozer is an easy 20 and 10 guy when healthy.

Chris Bosh’s heart pumps Kool-Aid.