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Lou is perfect for a Ben Gordon role for us...
he may be small and may be a tweener PG/SG....but he can score and still has room to grow.

oh yea...and hes better than Willie and Carney...and only 21

Lwill will be fine as our pg if he learns a little more from miller about the half court set. Especially if we use Dre Dala at the 2. That helps make up for williams lack of size.

Trade Andre Miller for a 1st rounder and cap relief, and start Louis Williams this year.

Then, draft Derrick Rose with either our normal 1st round pick, or package the Jazz pick, the pick received for Andre, and our pick for a top 3 pick (very hopeful I know).

Then, sign Elton Brand to w/e deal, re-sign Igoudola, and try to get Jose Calderon.

That way, we're looking at:
PG: Jose Calderon, Derrick Rose
SG: Andre Igoudola, Louis Williams, Willie Green
SF: Thaddeus Young, Rodney Carney
PF: Elton Brand, Jason Smith
C: Samuel Dalembert, Reggie Evans

Following that plan, we're looking at a serious contender in the East.



But I digress.......For our future, we need to just trade Andre Miller for picks and cap relief. And, while I'm not in love wit the idea, Louis Williams could use the playing time at PG. Spend the year developing him, Thad Young and Jason Smith, and get a top 5 pick in 2008.

Sandalf42 wrote:Trade Andre Miller for a 1st rounder and cap relief, and start Louis Williams this year.

Then, draft Derrick Rose with either our normal 1st round pick, or package the Jazz pick, the pick received for Andre, and our pick for a top 3 pick (very hopeful I know).

Then, sign Elton Brand to w/e deal, re-sign Igoudola, and try to get Jose Calderon.

That way, we're looking at:
PG: Jose Calderon, Derrick Rose
SG: Andre Igoudola, Louis Williams, Willie Green
SF: Thaddeus Young, Rodney Carney
PF: Elton Brand, Jason Smith
C: Samuel Dalembert, Reggie Evans

Following that plan, we're looking at a serious contender in the East.



But I digress.......For our future, we need to just trade Andre Miller for picks and cap relief. And, while I'm not in love wit the idea, Louis Williams could use the playing time at PG. Spend the year developing him, Thad Young and Jason Smith, and get a top 5 pick in 2008.

Im with u for the most part

with TJ Ford borderline retiring...i think the Raps are going to hold onto Calderon.

and if drafting Derek Rose and Signing Elton Brand were only that easy...

PhilasFinest wrote:with TJ Ford borderline retiring...i think the Raps are going to hold onto Calderon.

and if drafting Derek Rose and Signing Elton Brand were only that easy...

I'm sure they are going to try to hold onto Calderon, but I think they will not be able to, I also think it's possible he might not want to stay in Toronto.

If TJ does retire then Toronto will probably over pay for Calderon to the tune of 9 million, and I'm sorry to hear about TJ, I kinda thought he was on his way to coming back.

I wish it was as easy as picking who you want, and they performed the way you thought. But even if Ed pulls out some great moves, doesn't mean it will work out the way you envision it, we can only hope the pieces fit together, and so far we have had a hard time with that.
"The best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry"

I'm sure they are going to try to hold onto Calderon, but I think they will not be able to, I also think it's possible he might not want to stay in Toronto.

The Sixers are the only team that could really go after him and I highly doubt they do. And anything the Sixers or any team does, the Raptors have the right to match. All signs point to Calderon staying in TO.

Forget about trying to develop him. It's his 3rd year in the league. Throw him in the fire already. Lets see what he can do in 30plus a night.

dbodner wrote:I don't think anyone's "building around" Louis Williams. But if he fails as a PG, he still IMO has a role as a scoring punch off the bench, which a small SG definitely can succeed at IMO.

I can live with LW as an off the bench scoring punch.

I don't know why everybody is so obessed with A true pass first point guard.

All I want from my point guard is quickness, 3pt shooting, and at least be an average defender, with decent passing skills.

I mean if you look at the last couple of teams to win championships or make to the finals, the only teams to have a true pass first point guard were the Nets in 02 and 03.

Terry
Jason Williams
Billups
Parker

None of them are really pass first guards, and are pretty much just combo guards.

I think if those guys can start, and win championships, there's no reason why Lou can't either.

Dominant Big men are more important than pass first PG, but if you don't have a dominant big man, or a Michael Jordan then you need a TRUE point guard like Isiah Thomas or Chauncey Billups. It's just that simple. If you look at what you need to win a CHIP it's a lot easier to get a Chauncey Billups or Isiah Thomas than it is to get a Tim Duncan or Michael Jordan. So that's where the obsession with getting a "passing PG comes from."

Phoenix has a chance with Nash and look how easily they acquired him. New Orleans actually has an outside shot at contending for a title because of Chris Paul. Toronto is a very good basketball team because they have consistently good PG play with TJ Ford and Calderon. Pass first PG's are very necessary UNLESS you can play through the low post or possibly have a perimeter player that can average 28+ppg (but this is the most flawed version of building a CHIP team).

philly262 wrote:I don't know why everybody is so obessed with A true pass first point guard.

All I want from my point guard is quickness, 3pt shooting, and at least be an average defender, with decent passing skills.

I mean if you look at the last couple of teams to win championships or make to the finals, the only teams to have a true pass first point guard were the Nets in 02 and 03.

Terry
Jason Williams
Billups
Parker

None of them are really pass first guards, and are pretty much just combo guards.

I think if those guys can start, and win championships, there's no reason why Lou can't either.

Billups can pick a team apart with his passing. Just because he can make baskets doesn't mean that he's not a true pass first PG. Billups is as true a PG as there every was in the game. He's not the best ever, but he is a damn good PG. Miami had Shaq, Jason Williams doesn't count because Miami had low post dominant play AND Dwayne Wade who is an EXCELLENT passer. San Antonio had Tim Duncan, low post play again...Dallas didn't win a Championship...

Billups is an excellent example of a guy who was drafted high because he had the ability to be a great pg but lacked the ability to run a team. He could always dribble, shoot and defend- but was a scorer and not a pg when he entered the league. Think Jared Jack with more talent.

After years of working at becoming a pg under good coaching (and a team willing to give him a shot after he had not succeeded elsewhere) Billup developed into a top pg- so a scorer can become a PG.

I think Parker learned to be a PG and not just a scorer too. LW's build and skill set is closer to Parker's- but in both cases scoring guards learned to run a team efficiently.

Some players have the talent to be a pg, but do not have the desire to put team scoring opportunities before their own. Players like Gordan (and a lesser extent AI) believe that a good shot for them is better for the team than a pass that might lead to a shot for a teammate. This doesn't mean they are bad players- just not real pg's. It is open for debate- but I believe Lou has shown a willingness to be a real pg- which if the talent is there- is the most improtant step.

LW has demonstrated a willingness and ability to pass. He still cannot lead a team the way effective pg's need too- but neither could Parker or Billups at 21. I am not guaranteeing he will succeed- but I am not ready to pigeon hole him as a scoring guard and proclaim he can't become a winning type of PG.

LW will never be a pure passer like Nash or Kidd (or even Miller) but neither are Billups or Parker. They rely more on the fact that they are an offensive threat to draw in other defenders and open up assist opportunities. LW can be this type of PG- which can be a winning pg.

He still needs to continue to improve on his defense and to continue to master the balancing act between being a threat to score and keeping everyone involved.

One more thing...

One of the keys to Billups and Parker developing into effective pg's has been the presence of excellent frontcourt players on bot teams. This helps immensely with spacing and the ability to run an effective half court offense. Hopefully the Sixers will have someone who can score in the frontcourt next year.

I'm not one to even advocate that Lou Williams is even a scoring guard/SG. He still has yet to prove that he is even a starter. Lou Will isn't much of an NBA scorer, he can do a few things pretty well but it's obvious that the NBA teams have already adjusted and we don't see Lou Williams doing those few things that he did well any longer like drive uncontested to his right hand for a layup and pull up for foul line area jump shots instead of continuing to the basket.

You combine that with Lou Will seemingly being scared to drive to the hole after getting injured in New York and Lou Williams is looking like a prize fighter who has been knocked out and has never been quite the same competitor afterwards. Earlier this season Lou Will was always in the paint. Have the NBA defenses adjusted THAT much or is he scared/cautious? Either way it doesn't look good moving forward.

LW can score 19 in a quarter- and can blow by most guards at will. He has a good jumper with deep range and can pass off the dribble.

He broke his big toe 1 month ago. Have you ever tried to play with a broken big toe? It throws of your ability to shoot on balance and push off (Think of what happens to NFL players when they get turf toe- which is a bit worse of an injury.)

He has things he needs to continue to work on if he wants to be a good pg- but he already is a dangerous scorer. He has picked it up in the last week, and expect him to continue to improve offensively as the season progresses.

If anything, he hold back right now on offense because he wants to try to become a pg.