The Orlando Magic, losers of five of their last six games, decided to pull the trigger today on a trade they have been discussing for months, and, in so doing, provide NBA fans with the first "Blockbuster" trade of the year. In a one-for-one swap, the Magic sent combo-forward Rashard Lewis to the Washington Wizards for former All-Star - and current poster boy for the NRA - Gilbert Arenas. Orlando general manager Otis Smith, formerly a front office fixture for the Golden State Warriors is close with Arenas from his days in Oakland, and still speaks to Gilbert nearly three times a week. Since September, rumors had been swirling that the Magic would look to make a move for Arenas, a player who had more than worn out his welcome in the Nation's capital.
But, it wasn't until recently that Lewis began to show up on the Wizards' radar.
The commonly held belief was that the Wizards would look to move Arenas for Vince Carter and his cap-friendly contract (Carter essentially has an expiring deal, in that only $4 million of his $18 million salary in 2010/2011 is guaranteed.) But, over the past two weeks, with Lewis mired in his own slump, the Magic gravitated towards moving Rashard in lieu of V.C.
In acquiring Lewis, the Wizards fill a big hole in their lineup. While John Wall is a bona fide superstar, he really doesn't have anyone to kick the ball out to on the perimeter, which allows opposing defenses to collapse as he beats the initial defender off the dribble. Kirk Hinrich has never been a proficient outside shooter, and Nick Young - while currently on a nice streak of his own - is up and down from beyond the three-point line. However, Lewis is a career 39% three-point shooter, and with a career average of 16.5 points per game, he provides a potent scoring option for the Wizards on the wing. This addition should also help the development of the Wizards young frontcourt of Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee, who will undoubtedly have more room to operate in the painted area.
While most pundits out there seem to think the Wizards got the better player, I would disagree. In addition to being out of Washington, a city where Gil was no longer welcome, Arenas appears to finally be healthy, and I don't think it is beyond the realm of possibility that he could return to something close to the form he was in from 2004 to 2007, perhaps averaging close to 20 points per game. While he will no longer be the number one option on this Orlando team (that honor belongs to Dwight Howard) he will be able to burn opposing defenses for doubling down on D12. Additionally, Arenas is a career 36% three-point shooter (pretty much compensating for the loss of Lewis) and an aggressive defender in the passing lanes (when he wants to play both sides of the ball.)
In short, I feel that this deal really helped both sides accomplish their goals. The Wizards moved past the "Gilbert Arenas Era," and settled the logjam in their backcourt, and the Magic dealt Rashard Lewis, who seemed to be in a funk since late last season, and was no longer a productive member of the Magic' outside-in offensive scheme.
The bigger story however, was the deal made minutes before, wherein the Magic sent Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, their 2011 first-round pick, and $3 million in cash to the Phoenix Suns for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark. From my perspective, this seems like a smart move for the Magic. They upgrade the shooting guard position by dealing VC for J-Rich, and, in so doing, improve their long-range shooting (Richardson is shooting 42% on the season, compared to Carter who is shooting 34% from "down town.") Given the Magic' offensive scheme, this seems like a stellar acquisition.
Furthermore, while I like Marcin Gortat for the Phoenix Suns, I did not like him for the Orlando Magic. He will undoubtedly get a chance to prove he is a starting center in the NBA when he takes the court for the Suns, and will definitely improve their rebounding on both ends of the court. He will also provide Phoenix with a formidable last line of defense (something that has been lacking in Phoenix since before Mike D'Antoni was around.) However, with Dwight Howard playing heavy minutes in Orlando, Gortat was pretty much an afterthought, and overpaid (earning over $6 million dollars per year to play 14 minutes per game.) Having him in Phoenix makes sense, having him in Orlando did not.
The Magic also reacquire their old employee Hedo Turkoglu, who has looked out of sorts ever since the 2009 NBA Finals when he was still a member of the Orlando Magic. While Turkoglu will never be a number one option, his ability to create, and initiate, offense will pay immense dividends for the Magic once more. Furthermore, when given the opportunity, he is a tremendous player in the clutch, and will provide the Magic with a legitimate crunch time player (something Vince Carter was never able to do during his time in Orlando.)
As a result of these moves, the Magic have assembled a team that ought to be better in the closing minutes of games, when dumping the ball in to Dwight is no longer an option due to his poor free throw shooting. While small, a lineup of Jameer Nelson, Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Howard is still a strong lineup, and one capable of scoring from every position. Furthermore, while that lineup is a bit thin, having a tremendous rebounder and shot-blocker like Howard as the anchor of the defense, will more than compensate for the lack of bulk at the other positions. Finally, should the Magic choose to bring one of their newly-acquired players off the bench, and start Brandon Bass at power forward, they will still have a potent nine-man rotation with Quentin Richardson, Ryan Anderson and J.J. Reddick joining the previously mentioned players.
The problem is this, the Magic just replaced 60% of their starting lineup, and it will take a while to integrate these new pieces in to their system. While Turkoglu ought to blend in quite quickly, it will take longer for Gil and J-Rich to become part of a cohesive unit. Nevertheless, Arenas and Richardson are former teammates of one another from their time with the Golden State Warriors, and there is likely some chemistry between the two given the two years they spent as teammates in the Bay Area.
In terms of talent upgrades, the Magic are the big winners today.
In terms of sticking to a plan and moving forward as a franchise, the Wizards come out on top.
And, in terms of cutting salary, and acquiring the right pieces to fit in to place, the Suns are the victors this weekend.
Like any real blockbuster, this trade might be more about the initial fireworks than the substance of the deal, but I still believe it will benefit each and every team involved.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
(Not Really) Rolling the Dice for 'Melo?
The 3-way trade executed by the New Jersey Nets, Houston Rockets, and Los Angeles Lakers today marks the first trade of the year that has the potential to cause a lasting effect on the league (sorry, but the trade sending Peja Stojakovic to Toronto did little to cause ripples throughout the league.) The broader ramifications of this trade have been discussed ad nauseam over the past 24 hours by the talking heads of the sports world, with everyone speculating that the trade - which sends two first round picks to the New Jersey Nets - is a mere precursor to the Nets pulling off a larger deal to pry Carmelo Anthony away from the Denver Nuggets.
For such a trade between the Nuggets and Nets to have any chance of being executed, the Nets would need some commitment by Anthony that he would resign with the franchise during the 2011 offseason. And yet, all we have heard over the past few weeks is that Melo would only sign with the Knicks this coming summer. Well then, what gives?
In my opinion, trading for Melo is a low-risk move for the Nets. Let's say that the Nuggets are willing to accept a package of Troy Murphy (expiring contract worth $12 million) and rookie Derrick Favors, along with two first round picks (let's say, their pick in 2011, and the Warriors lottery-protected 2011 first round pick). The Nuggets would be letting go of a young big man with "upside," and an aging big man who has been in the Coach Avery Johnson's doghouse all season. They would also lose two rather valuable picks, but then again, this years draft does not look all the hot. Additionally, with Carmelo Anthony, Brook Lopez, and Devin Harris as their core, the Nets could ostensibly rise from the doldrums of the Atlantic Division, make the playoffs, and end up giving up a pick that is not even in the lottery (note: if the Warriors end up in the lottery, which is about as likely as the earth orbiting the sun, the pick would be pushed to 2012, and on to 2013 until it either was a non-lottery pick, or merely a 2014 second round pick.)
So, all this clamoring about the Nets selling the franchise to rent Anthony for half a season is a bunch of nonsense. I would even argue that such a deal would be a bigger coup than the deal the Lakers pulled off in 2008, when they acquired Pau Gasol (after all, the Grizzlies did get Pau's younger brother Marc, and two first round picks). However, the question remains, could the Nets convince Anthony to resign in New Jersey this coming summer?
As I recall, it was a mere 5 months ago when people were talking about how players like LeBron, Stoudemire and Bosh were considering signing with New Jersey, because of their new owner, their proven head coach, their stud big man (Lopez) and the cachet of playing for a team partly owned by hip hop mogul Jay-Z that will be moving to Brooklyn in a few seasons. And last I checked, Brooklyn is considered to be a much more "hip" place these days than Manhattan, so I ask again, what gives?
Why not try to make that trade, and if Melo wants to jump ship in the offseason, so be it. The Nets will still have the Lakers 2011 first round pick and two first round picks in 2012 (their own, and the Rockets'.)
On another note, I think the other two teams involved in this trade, the Rockets and the Lakers, made out quite nicely.
The Rockets added a wing player with terrific athleticism in Terrence Williams. While he is not much of a shooter, he does have a knack for getting to the basket and involving his teammates in the offense, something that can not be said for the other Rockets wing players. In fact, Williams would fit quite nicely as a ballhandling small forward with players like Kevin Martin and Courtney Lee flanking him on the wings (particularly since the Rockets lack a true "playmaker" with Aaron Brooks still out with an injury.)
At first glance this trade does not make much sense for the Lakers (after all, why would you trade an expiring contract worth over $5 million for a player like Joe Smith, when you could possibly get more from a team desperate to shed payroll moving forward?) But, this trade was not just about Smith (who will fit quite nicely as a backup big man) despite his high basketball IQ and his ability to space the floor with a potent jump shot. No, this trade was about the two second round draft picks that the Lakers were able to acquire in the deal. In 2011, the Lakers will once again be without a first round draft pick, but they will have three second round draft picks (their own, the Bulls pick, and the Warriors pick.) Given the state of the Golden State Warriors franchise, it is not too crazy to think that their second round pick will be merely a few spots below the Lakers original first round pick. Add to that the fact that the Lakers save over $8 million in this deal, (when you factor in the luxury tax ramifications) and are not bound to sign any of their second round picks - therefore avoiding any type of salary hold for the 2011/2012 season - and I would argue that everyone came out of this deal doing just fine.
The big question remains, will Carmelo Anthony be traded, and which team will end up acquiring him. As of now, nobody knows. A lot of players have been rumored to be on the move - Andre Iguodala, O.J. Mayo, even Chris Paul to name a few - but with it being trade season in the NBA, the question remains, who is next?
For such a trade between the Nuggets and Nets to have any chance of being executed, the Nets would need some commitment by Anthony that he would resign with the franchise during the 2011 offseason. And yet, all we have heard over the past few weeks is that Melo would only sign with the Knicks this coming summer. Well then, what gives?
In my opinion, trading for Melo is a low-risk move for the Nets. Let's say that the Nuggets are willing to accept a package of Troy Murphy (expiring contract worth $12 million) and rookie Derrick Favors, along with two first round picks (let's say, their pick in 2011, and the Warriors lottery-protected 2011 first round pick). The Nuggets would be letting go of a young big man with "upside," and an aging big man who has been in the Coach Avery Johnson's doghouse all season. They would also lose two rather valuable picks, but then again, this years draft does not look all the hot. Additionally, with Carmelo Anthony, Brook Lopez, and Devin Harris as their core, the Nets could ostensibly rise from the doldrums of the Atlantic Division, make the playoffs, and end up giving up a pick that is not even in the lottery (note: if the Warriors end up in the lottery, which is about as likely as the earth orbiting the sun, the pick would be pushed to 2012, and on to 2013 until it either was a non-lottery pick, or merely a 2014 second round pick.)
So, all this clamoring about the Nets selling the franchise to rent Anthony for half a season is a bunch of nonsense. I would even argue that such a deal would be a bigger coup than the deal the Lakers pulled off in 2008, when they acquired Pau Gasol (after all, the Grizzlies did get Pau's younger brother Marc, and two first round picks). However, the question remains, could the Nets convince Anthony to resign in New Jersey this coming summer?
As I recall, it was a mere 5 months ago when people were talking about how players like LeBron, Stoudemire and Bosh were considering signing with New Jersey, because of their new owner, their proven head coach, their stud big man (Lopez) and the cachet of playing for a team partly owned by hip hop mogul Jay-Z that will be moving to Brooklyn in a few seasons. And last I checked, Brooklyn is considered to be a much more "hip" place these days than Manhattan, so I ask again, what gives?
Why not try to make that trade, and if Melo wants to jump ship in the offseason, so be it. The Nets will still have the Lakers 2011 first round pick and two first round picks in 2012 (their own, and the Rockets'.)
On another note, I think the other two teams involved in this trade, the Rockets and the Lakers, made out quite nicely.
The Rockets added a wing player with terrific athleticism in Terrence Williams. While he is not much of a shooter, he does have a knack for getting to the basket and involving his teammates in the offense, something that can not be said for the other Rockets wing players. In fact, Williams would fit quite nicely as a ballhandling small forward with players like Kevin Martin and Courtney Lee flanking him on the wings (particularly since the Rockets lack a true "playmaker" with Aaron Brooks still out with an injury.)
At first glance this trade does not make much sense for the Lakers (after all, why would you trade an expiring contract worth over $5 million for a player like Joe Smith, when you could possibly get more from a team desperate to shed payroll moving forward?) But, this trade was not just about Smith (who will fit quite nicely as a backup big man) despite his high basketball IQ and his ability to space the floor with a potent jump shot. No, this trade was about the two second round draft picks that the Lakers were able to acquire in the deal. In 2011, the Lakers will once again be without a first round draft pick, but they will have three second round draft picks (their own, the Bulls pick, and the Warriors pick.) Given the state of the Golden State Warriors franchise, it is not too crazy to think that their second round pick will be merely a few spots below the Lakers original first round pick. Add to that the fact that the Lakers save over $8 million in this deal, (when you factor in the luxury tax ramifications) and are not bound to sign any of their second round picks - therefore avoiding any type of salary hold for the 2011/2012 season - and I would argue that everyone came out of this deal doing just fine.
The big question remains, will Carmelo Anthony be traded, and which team will end up acquiring him. As of now, nobody knows. A lot of players have been rumored to be on the move - Andre Iguodala, O.J. Mayo, even Chris Paul to name a few - but with it being trade season in the NBA, the question remains, who is next?
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Injured Big Men: Don't Sell Too Soon on a Reclamation Project
Much has been made this season of the fact that Greg Oden suffered another setback in his road to recovery. The Portland big man is now going to miss another entire season, and, despite having been in the league for four years, he has only played a total of 82 games. In other words, he has missed three seasons worth of games in his first four years. People are calling him a bust. Some are lamenting the fact that Portland once again whiffed on a top draft choice, bringing back memories of the 1984 NBA Draft, when these same Trail Blazers chose Sam Bowie over one Michael Jeffrey Jordan. We all know how that unfolded, so there is really no need to kick Portland fans while they are down.
However, what is often forgotten about Bowie, and many other big men who do not turn out just as we had all expected, is that he went on to have a very productive career for a number of NBA franchises. By all objective standards, Bowie had a very productive first season in Portland, playing in 76 out of 82 games, he posted averages of 10.0ppg, 8.6rpg, 2.8apg, a whopping 2.7 blocks per game, and shot over 54% from the field and 71% from the line. Not bad production out of a starting center, right? Then he got hurt. Again! Now, bear in mind, Sam Bowie was not the healthiest college kid to ever join the Association. Just as Greg Oden had health issues during his one year at Ohio State (a broken wrist, and the observation that one of his legs was longer than the other), Bowie had his share of
injury concerns. But, Bowie was able to bounce back, albeit four years later.
During the 1989-1990 season, Bowie, now the starting center for the New Jersey Nets, posted more than 14 points, and 10 rebounds per game. While he was no longer controlling the paint on the offensive end (his field goal percentage hovered just above 41%) he was able to register nearly 2 blocks per game, suggesting that he was still a defensive presence for his team. He would go on to have another three productive seasons for the Nets, before heading West, and joining the Lakers for his last two years. Even then, Bowie was productive while he was on the floor.
Bowie never lived up to the billing. He was no Kareem, he was no Wilt, and he was no Bill Russell. Hell, he wasn't even the best center chosen in the '84 draft (a little guy named Hakeem Olajuwon holds that title). But, he was, in all regards, a productive center while he was on the court.
The problem is, we all expected Bowie to be more than he turned out to be. And, we held it against him. And now, we are doing the same thing to Greg Oden. In fact, Oden is not alone. Andrew Bynum, the oft-injured, and soon-to-return, center for the Los Angeles Lakers, has taken a lot of heat over the past three seasons, as he has continued to struggle with injuries that have limited his ability to be effective on the court. The problem is, most of us don't understand that when you are over seven feet tall, and you injure yourself, it takes a great deal longer to rehab from that injury, if rehabilitation is even an option.
Bill Walton, perhaps the greatest "could-have-been" NBA talent, a National Champion at UCLA, an MVP of the NBA, and a two-time NBA Champion, played over 50 games per season only three times in his first nine seasons in the NBA. He was betrayed by his feet, plain and simple. But Walton's early career struggles were overshadowed by the fact that he was able to rebound (literally and figuratively.) During the 1985-1986 season, Walton came back to the game. This time in a new role, as a sixth man. He no longer had the ability to do the things he once did on the court, but the talent was still there. And that talent - namely his rebounding and utterly unselfish style - helped propel the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals, and another storied championship. A year later, Walton was done.
The NBA is littered with such stories of big men who were much hyped coming in to the league, only to crash and burn ... and later rise like the Phoenix from the ashes. Marcus Camby, one of the better college players over the last 20 years, struggled mightily his first four seasons in the league. A trade to the New York Knicks, and later the Denver Nuggets, rejuvenated his career, and he went on to establish himself as one of the premier rebounders and shot-blockers in the NBA. Over the past ten seasons, Camby has averaged better than 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. Not too shabby. Longtime Cavalier, and now Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskus suffered the same fate. After an injury-free rookie campaign during the 1997-1998 season his career derailed for the better part of three seasons. But much like Walton, Bowie, and Camby, he came back. Since 2002, Ilgauskus has played in 73 or more games per season all but twice (and during those two seasons, he played in 65 and 64 games.) Big Z also became a proficient spot up shooter - deadly from the free throw line-extended - and still held his own on defense, patrolling the paint.
Once left for dead, and thought to be washed up, players like Walton, Ilgauskus, Bowie and Camby, all had a renaissance later in their careers. What does this tell us about players like Oden and Bynum you ask? Well, nothing really. All of these players are unique in some way. Nonetheless, aside from their large frames, these men all possessed an inner resilience to bounce back from injury, no matter how long it took them. Despite not necessarily panning out for the franchises they were drafted by, these men all went on to have productive careers, and were able to make their teams better (NB: Bill Walton did lead the Portland Trail Blazers to an NBA Championship in 1977, averaging 18.6 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.2 blocks per game and earning Finals MVP honors.)
The question remains: are we giving up too early on Oden and Bynum? I think so. For the longest time, I was willing to just close the book on a player if he didn't pan out immediately. I will admit, I thought Michael Beasley was going to be dead or in jail by this point in his career. Thankfully I was wrong. I still believe these two big men hold value for many franchises. However, we are also too often blinded by the dollar signs, and the reality that these players make a lot of money for relatively little result on the hardwood. But again, that's not their fault (after all, would you turn down an eight-figure deal if offered to you?)
Big men do not control NBA games the way they used to. Speedy guards and star players on the wing are much more effective at controlling the tenor of a game on a nightly basis. However, big man still hold value to their teams for the things they do, namely rebounding, shot blocking, and racking up fouls on the opposing team. While Greg Oden and Andrew Bynum may fall short of the lofty expectations we assigned to them, they may yet make fools of us all and go on to lead very productive careers. I sure hope they do just that.
However, what is often forgotten about Bowie, and many other big men who do not turn out just as we had all expected, is that he went on to have a very productive career for a number of NBA franchises. By all objective standards, Bowie had a very productive first season in Portland, playing in 76 out of 82 games, he posted averages of 10.0ppg, 8.6rpg, 2.8apg, a whopping 2.7 blocks per game, and shot over 54% from the field and 71% from the line. Not bad production out of a starting center, right? Then he got hurt. Again! Now, bear in mind, Sam Bowie was not the healthiest college kid to ever join the Association. Just as Greg Oden had health issues during his one year at Ohio State (a broken wrist, and the observation that one of his legs was longer than the other), Bowie had his share of
injury concerns. But, Bowie was able to bounce back, albeit four years later.
During the 1989-1990 season, Bowie, now the starting center for the New Jersey Nets, posted more than 14 points, and 10 rebounds per game. While he was no longer controlling the paint on the offensive end (his field goal percentage hovered just above 41%) he was able to register nearly 2 blocks per game, suggesting that he was still a defensive presence for his team. He would go on to have another three productive seasons for the Nets, before heading West, and joining the Lakers for his last two years. Even then, Bowie was productive while he was on the floor.
Bowie never lived up to the billing. He was no Kareem, he was no Wilt, and he was no Bill Russell. Hell, he wasn't even the best center chosen in the '84 draft (a little guy named Hakeem Olajuwon holds that title). But, he was, in all regards, a productive center while he was on the court.
The problem is, we all expected Bowie to be more than he turned out to be. And, we held it against him. And now, we are doing the same thing to Greg Oden. In fact, Oden is not alone. Andrew Bynum, the oft-injured, and soon-to-return, center for the Los Angeles Lakers, has taken a lot of heat over the past three seasons, as he has continued to struggle with injuries that have limited his ability to be effective on the court. The problem is, most of us don't understand that when you are over seven feet tall, and you injure yourself, it takes a great deal longer to rehab from that injury, if rehabilitation is even an option.
Bill Walton, perhaps the greatest "could-have-been" NBA talent, a National Champion at UCLA, an MVP of the NBA, and a two-time NBA Champion, played over 50 games per season only three times in his first nine seasons in the NBA. He was betrayed by his feet, plain and simple. But Walton's early career struggles were overshadowed by the fact that he was able to rebound (literally and figuratively.) During the 1985-1986 season, Walton came back to the game. This time in a new role, as a sixth man. He no longer had the ability to do the things he once did on the court, but the talent was still there. And that talent - namely his rebounding and utterly unselfish style - helped propel the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals, and another storied championship. A year later, Walton was done.
The NBA is littered with such stories of big men who were much hyped coming in to the league, only to crash and burn ... and later rise like the Phoenix from the ashes. Marcus Camby, one of the better college players over the last 20 years, struggled mightily his first four seasons in the league. A trade to the New York Knicks, and later the Denver Nuggets, rejuvenated his career, and he went on to establish himself as one of the premier rebounders and shot-blockers in the NBA. Over the past ten seasons, Camby has averaged better than 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. Not too shabby. Longtime Cavalier, and now Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskus suffered the same fate. After an injury-free rookie campaign during the 1997-1998 season his career derailed for the better part of three seasons. But much like Walton, Bowie, and Camby, he came back. Since 2002, Ilgauskus has played in 73 or more games per season all but twice (and during those two seasons, he played in 65 and 64 games.) Big Z also became a proficient spot up shooter - deadly from the free throw line-extended - and still held his own on defense, patrolling the paint.
Once left for dead, and thought to be washed up, players like Walton, Ilgauskus, Bowie and Camby, all had a renaissance later in their careers. What does this tell us about players like Oden and Bynum you ask? Well, nothing really. All of these players are unique in some way. Nonetheless, aside from their large frames, these men all possessed an inner resilience to bounce back from injury, no matter how long it took them. Despite not necessarily panning out for the franchises they were drafted by, these men all went on to have productive careers, and were able to make their teams better (NB: Bill Walton did lead the Portland Trail Blazers to an NBA Championship in 1977, averaging 18.6 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.2 blocks per game and earning Finals MVP honors.)
The question remains: are we giving up too early on Oden and Bynum? I think so. For the longest time, I was willing to just close the book on a player if he didn't pan out immediately. I will admit, I thought Michael Beasley was going to be dead or in jail by this point in his career. Thankfully I was wrong. I still believe these two big men hold value for many franchises. However, we are also too often blinded by the dollar signs, and the reality that these players make a lot of money for relatively little result on the hardwood. But again, that's not their fault (after all, would you turn down an eight-figure deal if offered to you?)
Big men do not control NBA games the way they used to. Speedy guards and star players on the wing are much more effective at controlling the tenor of a game on a nightly basis. However, big man still hold value to their teams for the things they do, namely rebounding, shot blocking, and racking up fouls on the opposing team. While Greg Oden and Andrew Bynum may fall short of the lofty expectations we assigned to them, they may yet make fools of us all and go on to lead very productive careers. I sure hope they do just that.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Giving Thanks for Good Point Guards
It is no secret that the NBA is currently witnessing a renaissance at the point guard position. From the young kids like John Wall and Derrick Rose, to the grizzled old veterans like Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups, the setup man is perhaps the strongest position in the NBA right now. And to think, it seems like just yesterday that the Association was in dire need of talented point guards (I know I am not the only person who remembers the ball-hogging ways of Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis.)
There are currently 14 point guards (15 if you count LeBron James, whose skill set is most like that of a talented point guard) averaging over 7.0 assists per game, with five of those guards averaging more than nine assists per game. To put that in to perspective, during the 2005-2006 season, only nine point guards averaged more than 7.0 assists per game, and only one of those point guards (eventual MVP, Steve Nash) would go on to average more than nine assists per game. When you delve deeper in to the players currently manning the point position, as compared to those five years ago, the talent disparity is daunting. Of those point guards who ranked in the top-10 in assists per game during the 2005-2006 season, we find such transcendent talents as Brevin Knight, Luke Ridnour and Rafer Alston. Not exactly the murderer's row of setup men.
Listing the top-10 point guards (as measured by assists per game) in the NBA right now is not enough, as it does not account for players like Tony Parker, Raymond Felton, Jrue Holiday, Mike Conley, Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings, all players under the age of 30, all players who are capable of putting up a gaudy stat line n a nightly basis. However, the number of assists a point guard records in a given night is not always telling of a player's true value, or just how important that player is to his team. For instance, Chauncey Billups (the artists formerly known as "Mr. Big Shot") is currently averaging merely 4.7 assists per game, a dip from previous seasons. However, Chauncey Billups, even at the age of 34, is still one of the best leaders in the game and a player that any coach would want to lead their team. In short, being a good point guard is about being a good leader. And that is why I am so thankful for the crop of point guards that exists in the NBA right now.
I have always been one for making lists (just ask my closest friends with whom I regularly make lists on virtually every topic) and right now I would like to share with all of you my point guard list, and where I feel the current crop of starting lead guards fall into.
Category One: The Youth Movement: Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, John Wall, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Jrue Holiday, D.J. Augustin, Raymond Felton, Aaron Brooks, Mike Conley, Stephen Curry, Darren Collison, Brandon Jennings and Tyreke Evans. These point guards - some of them, such as Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry, might even be considered combo-guards - are all under the age of 26 and all bring a different type of game to the court. Some are pure distributors (Rondo and Paul certainly come to mind), while others are best known for their lock down defense (Westbrook), or ability to stretch the defense out to the 3-point line (Stephen Curry is already one of the better marksmen in the league.) While Jrue Holiday, D.J. Augustin and Mike Conley might look out of place on this list of veritable top-40 talents, they too bring a mixture of athleticism, court-vision, defensive posturing, and an ability to break down opposing defenses off the dribble that makes them part of this category of point guards.
Category Two: Wise Old Veterans: This tier of point guards is best personified by two-time MVP Steve Nash, who is still leading the Suns as one of the top offensive machines in the NBA. Additionally, players like Jason Kidd (8ppg, 9.3apg, 3.8rpg, 1.8spg) and the aforementioned Chauncey Billups belong on this list. So too does Andre Miller (perhaps the most overlooked point guard of the past decade) and Tony Parker (the guy ONLY helped guide the Spurs to three NBA Championships in the past eight years.) Additionally, a player like Derek Fisher, whose numbers have never spoken to the strength of his game, belongs in this category of point guards. What these men all share in common is a knowledge of the game, an ability to take what an opposing player is giving them, and a knack for timely buckets. While these men (with the exception of Parker, who is only 28 years old) are undoubtedly on the downhill of their careers, they continue to put up impressive statistics - Derek Fisher not withstanding - but more importantly they continue to lead their teams to victory. Over the past three seasons, Nash (Phoenix), Kidd (Dallas), Billups (Detroit/Denver), Parker (San Antonio), Miller (Philadelphia/Portland) and Fisher (Los Angeles Lakers) have all continued to lead their teams deep in to the playoffs.
Category Three: Point Guard Grab Bag: Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, Kirk Hinrich, Jose Calderon, Ty Lawson and Goran Dragich. This category of point guards accounts for those players who either fly under the radar (Nelson and Harris) or are currently backing up older, more established set up men and therefore have yet to get enough minutes to showcase their talents (Lawson and Dragich). Additionally, players like Kirk Hinrich and Jose Calderon, have shown in past years that they are capable of leading a team, and are currently hidden on franchises going nowhere (NB: Hinrich is helping along the current generation of point guards in that he is somewhat of a tutor to John Wall on the Washington Wizards).
All in all, these three categories of point guards account for 27 players in total. The franchises most in need of leadership and talent from the point guard position are Detroit, Cleveland, Atlanta, Miami, Minnesota, and the Los Angeles Clippers. However, with Jeff Teague in Atlanta, the Timberwolves currently owning Ricky Rubio's NBA rights, and Kentucky-rookie Eric Bledson shining in limited minutes for the Clippers, this too might change. Additionally, with the infusion of talent this past summer in South Beach, the Heat are not really in need of a point guard so much as they are in need of additional shooters to space the floor for court-visionaries like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Not too long I remember ESPN columnist, and the self-proclaimed "Sports Guy," Bill Simmons writing about how Jason Kidd should be automatically assigned to play in the NBA All-Star Game on an annual basis because he is one of the few true point guards that makes his teammates better and knows how to distribute properly. Given all the point guards, young and old, who currently fit that bill, I think it is fair to say that even if Jason Kidd is winding down his career in the NBA, that the point guard position is resting in some pretty steady hands.
There are currently 14 point guards (15 if you count LeBron James, whose skill set is most like that of a talented point guard) averaging over 7.0 assists per game, with five of those guards averaging more than nine assists per game. To put that in to perspective, during the 2005-2006 season, only nine point guards averaged more than 7.0 assists per game, and only one of those point guards (eventual MVP, Steve Nash) would go on to average more than nine assists per game. When you delve deeper in to the players currently manning the point position, as compared to those five years ago, the talent disparity is daunting. Of those point guards who ranked in the top-10 in assists per game during the 2005-2006 season, we find such transcendent talents as Brevin Knight, Luke Ridnour and Rafer Alston. Not exactly the murderer's row of setup men.
Listing the top-10 point guards (as measured by assists per game) in the NBA right now is not enough, as it does not account for players like Tony Parker, Raymond Felton, Jrue Holiday, Mike Conley, Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings, all players under the age of 30, all players who are capable of putting up a gaudy stat line n a nightly basis. However, the number of assists a point guard records in a given night is not always telling of a player's true value, or just how important that player is to his team. For instance, Chauncey Billups (the artists formerly known as "Mr. Big Shot") is currently averaging merely 4.7 assists per game, a dip from previous seasons. However, Chauncey Billups, even at the age of 34, is still one of the best leaders in the game and a player that any coach would want to lead their team. In short, being a good point guard is about being a good leader. And that is why I am so thankful for the crop of point guards that exists in the NBA right now.
I have always been one for making lists (just ask my closest friends with whom I regularly make lists on virtually every topic) and right now I would like to share with all of you my point guard list, and where I feel the current crop of starting lead guards fall into.
Category One: The Youth Movement: Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, John Wall, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Jrue Holiday, D.J. Augustin, Raymond Felton, Aaron Brooks, Mike Conley, Stephen Curry, Darren Collison, Brandon Jennings and Tyreke Evans. These point guards - some of them, such as Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry, might even be considered combo-guards - are all under the age of 26 and all bring a different type of game to the court. Some are pure distributors (Rondo and Paul certainly come to mind), while others are best known for their lock down defense (Westbrook), or ability to stretch the defense out to the 3-point line (Stephen Curry is already one of the better marksmen in the league.) While Jrue Holiday, D.J. Augustin and Mike Conley might look out of place on this list of veritable top-40 talents, they too bring a mixture of athleticism, court-vision, defensive posturing, and an ability to break down opposing defenses off the dribble that makes them part of this category of point guards.
Category Two: Wise Old Veterans: This tier of point guards is best personified by two-time MVP Steve Nash, who is still leading the Suns as one of the top offensive machines in the NBA. Additionally, players like Jason Kidd (8ppg, 9.3apg, 3.8rpg, 1.8spg) and the aforementioned Chauncey Billups belong on this list. So too does Andre Miller (perhaps the most overlooked point guard of the past decade) and Tony Parker (the guy ONLY helped guide the Spurs to three NBA Championships in the past eight years.) Additionally, a player like Derek Fisher, whose numbers have never spoken to the strength of his game, belongs in this category of point guards. What these men all share in common is a knowledge of the game, an ability to take what an opposing player is giving them, and a knack for timely buckets. While these men (with the exception of Parker, who is only 28 years old) are undoubtedly on the downhill of their careers, they continue to put up impressive statistics - Derek Fisher not withstanding - but more importantly they continue to lead their teams to victory. Over the past three seasons, Nash (Phoenix), Kidd (Dallas), Billups (Detroit/Denver), Parker (San Antonio), Miller (Philadelphia/Portland) and Fisher (Los Angeles Lakers) have all continued to lead their teams deep in to the playoffs.
Category Three: Point Guard Grab Bag: Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, Kirk Hinrich, Jose Calderon, Ty Lawson and Goran Dragich. This category of point guards accounts for those players who either fly under the radar (Nelson and Harris) or are currently backing up older, more established set up men and therefore have yet to get enough minutes to showcase their talents (Lawson and Dragich). Additionally, players like Kirk Hinrich and Jose Calderon, have shown in past years that they are capable of leading a team, and are currently hidden on franchises going nowhere (NB: Hinrich is helping along the current generation of point guards in that he is somewhat of a tutor to John Wall on the Washington Wizards).
All in all, these three categories of point guards account for 27 players in total. The franchises most in need of leadership and talent from the point guard position are Detroit, Cleveland, Atlanta, Miami, Minnesota, and the Los Angeles Clippers. However, with Jeff Teague in Atlanta, the Timberwolves currently owning Ricky Rubio's NBA rights, and Kentucky-rookie Eric Bledson shining in limited minutes for the Clippers, this too might change. Additionally, with the infusion of talent this past summer in South Beach, the Heat are not really in need of a point guard so much as they are in need of additional shooters to space the floor for court-visionaries like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Not too long I remember ESPN columnist, and the self-proclaimed "Sports Guy," Bill Simmons writing about how Jason Kidd should be automatically assigned to play in the NBA All-Star Game on an annual basis because he is one of the few true point guards that makes his teammates better and knows how to distribute properly. Given all the point guards, young and old, who currently fit that bill, I think it is fair to say that even if Jason Kidd is winding down his career in the NBA, that the point guard position is resting in some pretty steady hands.
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