So...1988? Almost two decades?
Look, I'm not saying that "pass-first" point guards can't help a team like Kidd, Nash, Stockton habe, but these guys were more than simply "pass-first" point guards. Nash and Stockton are both super efficient individual offensive players, guys who regularly rank at the top of the league. And Kidd was one of the greatest defenders in the league when he supposidly turned the Nets around with his "passing" (it was really his defense that turned the Nets around)
Throw in Magic and you have guys who are superstars who aren't just pass-first but also had long stints as the best player at his position. I mean we named Magic-Stockton-Kidd-Nash which basically only leaves out Payton as the top point guards in the league at one point and time over the last two decades.
Look at the assist ratio leaders for this season:
Snow, Knight, Nash, Kidd, Duhon, Ridnour, Miller, Billups, Paul, Ollie, Arroyo, and Alston, then nobody assists on more than 30% of possessions (FINE. FINE! T.J. Ford is at 29.7) we have Nash and Billups as super offensive guys, Paul and Kidd as top five players at their spot. A guy like Snow, Duhon, Ridnour or Ollie aren't going to help the Raptors just because they're pass-first.
What the Raptors would need is a good point guard more than simply a pass-first point guard right? However, they can live with James/Calderon. James was a team player his entire career, he had a contract year on a team that's season was over so I'll give him a pass for now.
I think the Raptors really need to look at the wing more than the point. Look at this:
http://www.82games.com/positions.htm Remember, PER difference showing up as the biggest individual correlation with win % we know of. Dead last at SF, 20th at SG. Yeah, they were 17th and thus below average at PF, but Charlie V should improve them above 15th there.
Wing, then Center. Center maybe even more than wing, as then they can slide Bosh and Charlie down thus improving the forward slots.
I know all the Raptors fans are blaming Mike James for taking advantage of his situation, but if he goes and you're stuck with Calderon next year as your only option at the point you will be missing his production (though maybe not his attitude or personality)
That said, I would certaintly not pay too much for a 30 year old point guard who had a better year than ever, if he wants too much I'd let him go. But $4 mill or less a year for three years, maybe even four years would be acceptable.
Resigning Bosh was a must. I was going to contend with "and soon to be the East's best PF." but I can't. The guy is already the East's best PF. Even if his defense is quite disappointing.
If they buyout Araujo and don't give him an extension I'm loving the Raptors situation, defense is the easier than offense to find. It's certainly better than it was at this time last year.
It's certaintly not the Knicks, who are apparently courting Jared Jeffries with their mid-level.
Apologies for typos/rambling, I may or may not be intoxicated after getting home from being out with friends.
. Laker fans, you still have a chance.
I'm praying to God he pulls a Boozer or something.
