Frittering, I say!

Goofy though it may be, that headline is completely and utterly hyperbole-free. Boris Diaw is playing for the best possible pro basketball team for his skill set, the team that employs him is in desperate need of what he brings to the table (high and low-post passing, shot-blocking, post scoring, rebounding, perimeter shooting ... suffice to say he brings a lot to the table), and Diaw wants precious little to do with it.

The guy floats. He floated in his first two years in Atlanta, which made sense, because only a few thousand people had to watch him float for about 23 minutes a game while playing out of position at guard. Firmly ensconced as the Suns' do-it-all guy off the bench these days, and with a fat bankroll in his pocket to boot, Diaw should be thriving in a Suns offense that wants to see the ball go through his hands every time down court while Steve Nash is getting a blow. But he's not. And the Suns, though 17-6, are struggling if Nash isn't dominating.

And what's most frustrating is the obvious fact that Boris knows better. We saw him run things in 2005-06, keeping the Amare-less Suns in the championship picture while contributing across the board. He knows how to run an offense, he knows where the ball should end up, and he knows how to balance his playmaking and scoring instincts and make the sound basketball decision. Don't let him fool you, this guy knows what's up.

The East Valley Tribune's Scott Bordow has just about had enough:

"It's about time someone in the Suns' organization publicly lit a fire under Diaw. The question is, will he listen to what's being said about him?

Steve Nash said Diaw has been told several times, by several of his teammates, that he needs to be more assertive.

They may as well have been talking to a basketball support."

Well, that would be silly. They should just talk to Boris a little more. Maybe yell a bit. Maybe play him 35 minutes off the bench one night to see if he still enjoys the game.

Remember, this goes much deeper than a guy not screaming when he grabs a rebound (or grabbing rebounds at all), or refusing to dunk, or playing a finesse game. Diaw played a finesse game two years ago, and he was brilliant.

It's about being aggressive, without mistaking activity and outward emotion for achievement. Diaw doesn't need to dunk the ball more or send shots into the 14th row, but he does need to establish low post position and ask for the ball. He needs to quickly cut to the high post when the defense is overplaying Amare Stoudemire down low and Grant Hill can't make the entry pass. He needs to make the same speedy and sound decisions he made off and with the ball two seasons ago. He doesn't need to flex his muscles, he just needs to be aggressive, and revel in the spirit of competition.

The preceding paragraph was brought to you by Bill Walton.