I like TJ Ford but I don't think he would be an upgrade for us at PG. His outside shooting is not good enough. I think Brooks is a much better outside shooter he just needs time to develop. I personally think we are ok with Rafer starting and having B Jackson as a backup scoring PG off the bench. If we can find a good SG we will be just fine. A player that could slide over and guard the bigger PGs from time to time. We just need one or two wings that can play multiple positions and have some scoring talent.
For Hinrich... v. Utah: 13 pts, 6 ast, 8 reb, 50% FG%, 33 mpg (1 game) v. NO: 7.5 pts, 4.5 ast, 29% FG%, 21 mpg (2 games) (one of the games he scored 15, the other was an 0-6 goose egg -- not hurt) v. SA: 9 pts, 7 ast, 44% FG%, 33 mpg (1 game) If we go back to 06-07...(for reference, he averaged better than 16-6 on the year in 35 mpg) v. Utah: 24 pts, 3 ast, 5.5 rebs, 43% FG%, 42 mpg (2 games) v. NO: 19.5 pts, 4.5 ast, 54% FG%, 33 mpg (2 games) v. SA: 17.5 pts, 6.5 ast, 6.5 reb, 46% FG%, 39 mpg (2 games) If you're curious how they defended...(which says nothing to team philosophy, etc.) Deron Williams v. Hinrich, 1 game: 20 pts, 10 ast, 6 turnover Chris Paul v. Hinrich: 37 pts (15-21 FG), 13 ast (Hinrich only played 16 mins this game); 25 pts (11-21 FG), 14 ast, 1 turnover Tony Parker v. Hinrich: 28 pts (12-19 FG), 5 ast, 0 turnover Not so good for Hinrich, but to be fair the entire Bulls team was in shambles. He also often guarded the 2 guards due to small backcourt mates. Still, when the "best" defensive performance against those 3 guys out of 5 games is a 20-10... For Ford, it looks something like this...keep in mind the minutes Ford played, so half of this is on Calderon as well. Deron Williams v. Ford: 22 pts (8-15), 5 ast, 4 turnover (Ford with 32 mins); 21 pts (8-17), 4 ast, 1 turnover (Ford with just 13 mins in this one) Chris Paul v. Ford: 20 pts (8-15), 16 ast, 1 turnover (Ford with 26 mins); v. Parker : no games played this year (TP was hurt in one, Ford got hurt in the other) If there's a takeaway, this is it: Ford and Hinrich combined to play 8 games against Parker, Williams, and CP3...the Western Conference guards put up 20+ in all 8. Chris Paul averaged 27-15 in those games on nearly 60% shooting. Ouch. If you're curious about head to head, Ford won that matchup handily over 2 games: Ford: 11.5 pts, 8.5 ast, 1.5 turnovers, 9-12 FGs, 21 mpg (18 pts in 18 minutes one game, 14 assists in 24 minutes the other) Hinrich: 3 pts, 5 ast, 2 turnovers, 2-13 FG, 20 mpg
Rox need at least 1 pg with some size who can body up with bigger guards like Deron Williams. Lakers had D. Fisher he did much better than the Rockets pipe sized guards. If Rox get TJ they need to get rid of Rafer.
Well we agree on that point. Where we disagree is what the right price is. You've said all over this board that Battier is the right price. Nevermind that they already have Bargnani and Jamario Moon and that Calderon has significantly higher value around the league than Battier. If you ask me, the only players the Rockets possess that Colangelo would be interested in for Calderon are Yao or Tracy, and obviously the Rockets would have no interest in doing that. Nobody else on our roster has enough value to pull off a deal for Calderon. You might could get them to accept a deal like Scola + Battier + 25th pick for Calderon, but that would be rape. Before you respond, please do some reading: http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/ny-spknix295706057may29,0,2111084.story http://blog.oregonlive.com/blazers/...waw_report.html News sourced from the Blazer's official radio guy http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft...ampnotes-080528
If teams are smart, they won't make an offer for Calderon but if they are interested they will reveal to Calderon's agent what they are willing to pay him when he becomes unrestricted. That way BC has to pay more than the MLE to keep him. Otherwise, Calderon can use his leverage to accept the one year tender and be free next season for the big payday. Calderon simply has to be willing to take the risk for a year. If Calderon signs an offer sheet at the MLE, BC will match it and have a bargain on his hands for 5 years.
i feel flattered yet pressured. now i fear next time i post something i will post something silly. i know i could, once in a while.
What the raptors are doing is to make Calderon's value higher. He (not Ford) is the one to go. I do believe Battier is the right price. Bargnani is a C/PF. I cannot see why he cannot co-exist with Battier. Moon as a undrafted rookie can be a starter in Toronto because his defense is better than Kapono. This means the raptor coach staff want a good wing defender in their starting lineup. In fact, even though Moon is a good defender, Battier is much much better than him. I do believe the rockets can get Calderon if they are willing to give up Battier.
I do believe you are wrong. A young and upcoming team is not going to part with an up and coming pg who can shoot, pass, and doesn't turn the ball over to rely on an injury prone point guard. On top of that, you think they will give up a commodity (good pg) that is in extremely short supply around the league for an aging poor offensive; good defensive sf. If they truly were shopping Calderon don't you think they could get something better for him?This is just homerism. A fan thinking his player is worth much more than the gm's do. Sorry athletic SFs are much more plentiful than starter quality point guards. There is no way Toronto is stupid enough to settle for Shane in that deal.
I think it all boils down to whether or not TJ Ford would yield decent value. If the Raptors get what they want for Ford, then Ford is on the way out. However, the Raptors could get A LOT more for Calderon. The talent would be overall better on the team. Ford is no slouch. He's just very injury prone. TJ Ford and either Battier/Outlaw/Josh Howard/Nocioni would give the Raptors great talent across their lineup. The Raptors would like Calderon, but would their team be better with Calderon and a lower tier class of swingmen? Of course, if a team is crazy enough to part with Battier, Outlaw, Nocioni, or Josh Howard for TJ FORD, then the Raptors are jumping in joy. Also, I think it's safe to say that the teams that are mentioned in the article as interested parties in TJ Ford have also inquired about Calderon. Perhaps even asking about Calderon initially.
They have Ford. Actually, Ford fits their style better. In addition, you guys should get the fact-- the raptors never passed the 1st round with Calderon. Same as the rockets, they need to make some big moves. You underestimate Battier! He is a special player. I believe the raptors could get 50 + wins easily if they had Battier. That will be huge in the EC. Actually, I highly doubt Morey and Adelman will give up Battier for Calderon!
My basic point is that young pg's with potential and some success like Calderon are in very short supply. Talented SFs are much more plentiful and have less value. I think Battier is a very good player, but in the bigger scheme he has much less trade value than Calderon. If Toronto is shopping him, which I doubt, I am pretty sure they can get a very good sf and probably other concessions for him. We are not in a great position relative to other teams to acquire a difference maker. Come the trade deadline, we might be able to manufacture a steal for our expiring contracts. Here is how I would rate starting pgs in the East: Billups Arenas Miller Harris Calderon all others Here is how I would rate starting sfs in the West: Josh Howard Melo Artest Bowen Durant Gay Jackson Maggette Thornton Battier Kirilenko Outlaw Maybe the order isn't exactly right, but the jest is that sf's of Battier's ability or better are very numerous. PG's of Calderon's abilities are not.
Great wing defenders like Battier are in very short supply as well! They are an important piece for a contender. If the spurs didn't have Bowen, would they win the last three rings? I don't think so. Maybe Bowen and Artest are better defenders than Battier now. Bowen is getting old and Artest is a trouble. Other sfs in your list, Jackson and Howard are also troubles and I don't think they can help the rockets win more games than Battier did; Melo is too expensive; the sonics won't give up Durant; ... Once again, I highly double the rockets will trade Battier for Calderon.
Blah....that's depressing. The Rockets PG woes (the most important need on the team, imo...maybe not the biggest or most obvious, which would be back-up SG/SF with size...but PG is such a more important position and you saw how we sucked without at least an average one) won't be solved for a long time...
I think most of you are saying that getting Hinrich will be the first option but you are forgetting what the Bulls will want, i think the raptors may trade for for cap relief but the Bulls won´t be trading Hinrich for cap relief only they will be asking for one of our PF, most likely Scola because Landry will be BYC. That´s why i think TJ is the most likely option for us. Toronto is looking for a SF that can defend and shoot 3, so it´s a done deal if we include Battier, but that being a nonsense for us we may go offering expiring and see what happens.
I'm a big fan of Ford, but his size scares me...we will be in the same position defensively against Williams, Davis, Billups and others that we were with Brooks. If we could get him without having to trade any of our starters except Rafer, I'm all for it.
