Problem #1: Lack of a playmaker

[atlien]

It's become evident to me that this team will not excel until we have a playmaker to effectively utilize our talented wings. JJ is the closest thing we have to a playmaker, but he is better off the ball and has no desire to be a full-time playmaking facilitator.

Without a playmaker, our offense is stagnant and inconsistent, and our wings are grossly under-utilized.

The HUGE problem we have is we need a true playmaker who can set up our talented wings. Smoove, Marv and Chill all are not great at creating for themselves. However, they're very good at scoring when someone sets them up.

Can Acie become the playmaker we need? I think he can, but he has a long way to go.

Here's a repost of something I said earlier because I feel its the single most important thing we can do to make this team better, and thus deserves lots of discussion. A new coach, more beef in inside, and better outside shooters would also really help to! But, Id rank getting a playmaker #1, b/c our core wing players are so underutilized without one.

I've said it ad nauseum, and it keeps getting reinforced with every Raptors game I watch (im up in Canada).

Jose Calderon would be perfect for this team. He's a tenacious defender, a pure pg who is extremely unselfish and is a true playmaker. He also can hit the open shot with ease and has a never give-up attitude. Better yet, he's an up-tempo type pg who loves to run.

In fact, I really think he'd be a better long-term fit than Law. In many ways, he'd do for us what Nash does for PHX (obviously not to the same elite extent). I say this b/c he would bring the best out of our other players.

Basically, to make this team excel, we need this out of our pg:

- can play up-tempo

- can get the ball to our wings in positions where they can score effctively (i.e. the pg playing the set-up man).

- can occasionally hit open outside shots to make the defense pay for collapsing on our driving, athletic wings

- can play feisty D

- can be a steadying force on offense (i.e. the offense runs through him, providing consistency).

Jose Calderon fits the bill so well its ridiculous.

Maybe it's just cause I watch all the Raptors games as well as the Hawks, so I get a chance to see him play a lot, but this kid is FOR REAL.

And, I know it would cost a decent amount to get him (and I wouldnt think about including any of Joe, Smoove, Horford or Marvin), but I do think we should be talking to them. Cuz', like i said, I really think he would do more for us than Law in the long-run (not just this year).

No knock to Law (he'll be good in his own right), I just think a Calderon-type pg would be a bit better of a fit.

[AtLaS]

In Woodson's system, we need a truly ELITE PG to succeed. Any average PG will fail miserably in Woodson's non-existent offensive system. I would definitely give Calderon a chance, but he still won't do very well under Woody. We need to rid ourselves of the coach before we can improve offensively, period.

[atlien]

Agreed. Woody sucks.

My main thing is, our personnel dictates that we play up-tempo. We'd be a dangerous team if we did it. I think even Woody knows that (judging from preseason comments), he just hasnt had the wherewithall to implement anything (lack of a capable PG does make it hard tho).

The bottom line is, under the style we HAVE to play to be effective, we ABSOLUTELY need a playmaker. Especially b/c our wings (minus JJ) aren't good at creating for themselves.

There just so happens to be an available pg who provides everything we need up in Toronto. I think he should be running the show for us for the next long, long time.

Knowing Colangelo tho, he knows what he has and will be very reluctant to pull the trigger without fleecing us.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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Agreed. Woody sucks.

My main thing is, our personnel dictates that we play up-tempo. We'd be a dangerous team if we did it. I think even Woody knows that (judging from preseason comments), he just hasnt had the wherewithall to implement anything (lack of a capable PG does make it hard tho).

The bottom line is, under the style we HAVE to play to be effective, we ABSOLUTELY need a playmaker. Especially b/c our wings (minus JJ) aren't good at creating for themselves.

There just so happens to be an available pg who provides everything we need up in Toronto. I think he should be running the show for the next long, long time.

Knowing Colangelo tho, he knows what he has and will be very reluctant to pull the trigger without fleecing us.

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so who do you suggest we trade to get Calderon here . . that Toronto could ALSO use?

[atlien]

Id center a deal around Chill and Shelden. I might get killed for this, but Id work in Law if need be (I just think Calderon would be the ideal fit).

[coachx]

We got to be patient with Law.

I see Calderon as being a perfect compliment to a TJ Ford or a Speedy Claxton.

I'd take Calderon but I think Andre Miller is better now and will be better next year then Calderon. I also think Miller is easier to be obtained then Calderon due to the position and direction of 76ers vs the Raptors.

I am fine being patient with Law but you have to play him for him to develop. If Woody is going to continue to play Salim and Lue 30 minutes of PG play then I would much rather trade for Andre Miller and give the minutes to a real NBA pg.

(I don't think Toronto is trading Calderon with TJ's Ford being just one fall away from ending his career each time he steps on the floor due to his narrowing spinal cord.)

[atlien]

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We got to be patient with Law.

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I think Law will be very good too.

But, if we want this team to compete effectively this season, we have to just go ahead and give him the reigns.

Our offense is just so inconsistent, dysfunctional and stagnant without someone playing the playmaking role.

Hopefully, Woody will let Law do it, and Law will break out in the next couple months.

[coachx]

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Id center a deal around Chill and Shelden. I might get killed for this, but Id work in Law if need be (I just think Calderon would be the ideal fit).

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Some say he has Steve Nash in him. I don't see it. He does not run the floor or thebreak any think like Nash though he is crafty in the half court.

Chills for Calderon is a bit much to me. To throw in Shelden and Law on top of that

[atlien]

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Id center a deal around Chill and Shelden. I might get killed for this, but Id work in Law if need be (I just think Calderon would be the ideal fit).

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Some say he has Steve Nash in him. I don't see it. He does not run the floor or thebreak any think like Nash though he is crafty in the half court.

Chills for Calderon is a bit much to me. To throw in Shelden and Law on top of that

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In no ways was I saying Chill, Shelly and Law straight up for Calderon. Im not retarded. Those are just the players Id center the deal on.

As posted by MrHonline (i think)... something would be along the lines of:

Calderon/Garbajosa/Graham

for

Chill/Shelly/AJ or Lue

I watch a lot of Toronto games, and Calderon would be especially perfect for the Hawks.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

While Calderon would definitely be a good fit here, there's no way in hell Toronto makes a deal like that. He's too important to what they do in Toronto. Plus, he keeps T.J. from playing ridiculous minutes, to keep him somewhat healthy.

I think part of the problem here in ATL is two-fold.

1) Woody doesn't trust Law to take over the PG duties full time, thus, he won't give him control over the offense. And 2) I don't think the players trust Law to handle those duties, especially Smoove and JJ. This isn't because they're selfish ballplayers. It's because they're probably so used to playing without a decent PG, that it's a hard habit for them to break. But they need to break it because they both might become more efficent on the offense end. Smoove definitely will. JJ, probably will, but he's missing shots that he normally makes, so I don't know.

All of the good PG's around this league basically control the offense, even if they have better players or better scorers around them.

When the shot clock runs down, either JJ or Law should have the ball, and let them make the decision on what to do with it. Marvin should be looking for an outlet pass, Smoove should be crashing hard toward the glass, and Horford should either be setting a pick for the ballhandler or boxing his man out to be in position for hte shot.

In summer league, this was exactly what Law was doing. And while this is not the summer, the PG principles remain. Law needs more control of the ball and more freedom to make the decisons on the court.

If JJ is going to continue to be the main playmaker in the half court offense, you might as well do what Cleveland does, and put a shooter out on the floor, instead of a PG. Might as well go with a JJ - Salim or a JJ - Chill backcourt, if JJ is going to be the primary distributor in this offense.

[oken]

that's exactly what I've been saying all along.

Law isn't being given the chance to run the show.

given the opportunity, he can do it...

spot on with your post imo. my post about this

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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that's exactly what I've been saying all along.

Law isn't being given the chance to run the show.

given the opportunity, he can do it...

spot on with your post imo.

my post about this

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I missed that thread.

And you're EXACTLY RIGHT !!

If Law isn't ready to assume the PG role, you might as well give Salim and Chill heavy minutes opposite JJ. Law could get Smoove his MAX deal, if he'd just trust the guy. And JJ wouldn't have to do so much if he'd do the same.

I think the Detroit meltdown that Law had, put a bad taste in Woody's and some of the player's mouths. But Law will have to be trusted, if this team is going to get to the next level.

BTW, Houston's PGs are Rafer Alston ( aka Skip to my Lou . . from the And1 Streetball tour ), one of the worst shooting PGs in the league . . and Mike James, a shoot-first type PG.

Skip will almost always be out on the floor when T-Mac is out of the game, so that he'll become the main facilitator in the offense. Mike will almost always play alongside T-Mac, to give Tracy an extra shooter to pass the ball out to when doubled.

You're right on the money though Oken. This is an issue that Woody, JJ, and Smoove need to work out so that they can maximize the effectiveness of Law at the PG spot.