Nate Robinson became a playoff hero earlier this year. He filled in for Derrick Rose and provided the Bulls with a much-needed offensive lift. If anything, Nate Robinson proved that he has a place in this league. Robinson played sparingly for the Thunder and got waived by them two years ago. This year he was one of the guys that essentially won his team a playoff series; he even gave the Miami Heat some trouble down the stretch.
Despite his efforts in the last season, the was some surprise when the Denver Nuggets were able to sign him to a 2 year deal worth just $4 million total. There was some questioning as to how he got such a low money deal by NBA standards. However, the question has to be asked: is one playoff run enough to warrant a big payday?
The answer to me is no. Nate Robinson is no one new on the NBA radar. He can make baskets, he plays with a lot of heart, and is not bad as a backup point guard.
In terms of regular season production, there was nothing special Nate offered. Stats like Defensive Rating and Defensive Win Shares suggest Nate had a better year on defense, but a lot of that we can attribute to (coach) Thibodeau’s defensive schemes. One thing that Nate did improve on this season though is his 3-point shooting; Robinson shot a career high 40.5% from the field, and would have been making 2.4 three-pointers on a per 36 minute basis.
What about his playoff numbers? This is where, as basketball fans, we cannot let our emotions take over too much, because Nate Robinson’s lone post-season with the Bulls was definitely just the same Nate Robinson we’ve been seeing through his entire career. His line of 16-3-4 was actually a little worse than his regular season per 36 of 19-3-6. His shooting numbers were not better. Nate is a 5’9 point guard, we’ll let his defensive liabilities slide.
Other than his 34-point outburst with the Nets and his 27-point game to steal Game 1 against the Heat, Robinson has not done anything outstanding this offseason to warrant a bigger paycheck. Great decision by all NBA teams to not scramble and make offers to Robinson.
While the Nuggets got him at a great value, a lot of people wonder how Nate will fit in to that point guard rotation. We’ll have to sit and wait for next season to see how well they gel, and if the value is really there.
Thanks for reading. You can follow me on twitter @giordun. Don’t forget to follow our basketball department on Twitter – @aFishCalledMatt, @NBAFantasyInfo, @mikeyy7241, @matttheballer23, @herrickss and @KaineElmy. While you’re at it, give the site a follow too – @lastwordonsport.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? If so, check out our “Join Our Team” page to find out how.
