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Despite having 3 PGs, we still need a starting PG.
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Caseloads
Posts: 27725
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Joined: 7/29/2001
Member: #41
8/7/2002  1:11 AM
here's an article that breaks down FA PGs on the mkt.

Jeff Mc. is good as a starter, the IDEAL backup PG. A little selfish though. he took more shots than Elton Brand did last year, 111 more to be exact.

http://www.sportingnews.com/voices/sean_deveney/20020806.html

Point guards playing the waiting game

August 6, 2002


Maybe Chauncey Billups was on to something. In the first week of the free-agent negotiating period in early July, the Pistons let Billups know he was their first choice at point guard and they'd be willing to pony up six years and $34 million to get him. Billups did not hesitate. He took the deal. As he said shortly after, "The thing you want as a free agent is to feel wanted."

The Pistons made Billups feel wanted with an offer that will not be matched for any of the other free-agent point guards available this summer. If the Pistons had decided that, say, Travis Best was their man, not Billups, it might be Billups who would be sitting at home hoping to draw some kind of one-year contract for the veteran's minimum. As it stands, that is the position Best is in. And he is not alone.

Boston needs a point guard, badly. So does Miami, Denver, Minnesota and Golden State. Utah would like one, as would Indiana, Milwaukee and the Lakers.

Now, the waiting game begins, and the waiting game favors the teams in need far more than the players involved. After Billups signed for $34 million, Jacque Vaughn signed with Orlando for one year, $700,000; Larry Hughes signed with Washington for three years, $15 million; Earl Watson signed with the Grizzlies for three years, $4 million; and Chris Childs accepted a two-year, $3.5 million deal from the Nets last week. The longer it takes for a player to sign, the less money he winds up getting.

The longer the summer drags on, then, the closer it gets to desperation time for point guards who had been expecting a decent payday this offseason. Eventually, seeking a good contract gives way to seeking a decent contract, which leads to taking whatever minimum deal they can get their grubby little hands on in mid-September.

Knowing that, there is a roster of point guards who would be well-advised to take what they can get as soon as possible:

Travis Best: Best is probably too short (5-11) to be a point guard, let alone a shooting guard, which is more his natural position. But he is a veteran, and could fit nicely on a potential playoff team. Look for him to sign a minimum, one-year contract with Boston, Miami or Minnesota and try for a better contract next summer.

Troy Hudson: Hudson has had a summer to forget, with two separate (though, police think, possibly connected) incidents at his home in Florida. One was a robbery, the other was a shooting that left a man dead. It appears Hudson is not involved in the incidents, but the strangeness of the attacks causes some teams to wonder about the company he keeps and, according to two Eastern Conference personnel men, could be hindering his search for employment.

Hudson was a sparkplug off the bench for the Magic, but has received modest interest as a free agent. If Miami loses Rod Strickland, Hudson could be the backup plan.

Damon Jones: Jones is a decent shooter, a good team player, and the kind of guy coaches like having on their team. He's good in the locker room, can hit some shots and holds his own for stretches on the floor. The Cavaliers are interested, as are the Jazz.

Anthony Johnson: Johnson was not bad as Jason Kidd's backup last season, but the addition of Childs means he is out of a job in New Jersey. He could find it hard to get another spot elsewhere, despite his playoff experience with the Nets.

Jeff McInnis: He was rumored to have been a problem in the Clippers' locker room, and that's keeping him from being the top point guard in this free-agent class. The Blazers were interested, but their recent acquisition of Antonio Daniels throws that into doubt. The best fit would be the Timberwolves, but Minnesota does not want to pay McInnis what he thinks he is worth -- the same $34 million Billups received.

Kevin Ollie: He's a standard, no-frills backup, a decent defender who is an awful shooter. He played poorly in the playoffs, and probably cost the Pacers a chance at knocking off the Nets in the first round. Still, he could garner a minimum deal from the Bulls, Celtics or Heat.

Erick Strickland: He's not a thrilling playmaker, but he can hit a shot when needed, and he is consistent when given playing time. He is big (6-3, 215), tough and a good defender. He'll likely accept a minimum offer, and could land with Indiana, Minnesota, Cleveland or Utah.

Rod Strickland: The most likely scenario with Strickland is that he re-signs with the Heat for the veteran's minimum.

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Despite having 3 PGs, we still need a starting PG.

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