| A Changing Of The Guards Authored by Cory Stuart - July 20, 2005 - 5:43 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | Final Thoughts On The 2008 NBA Draft This year's draft was decidedly more calm and casual than the Oden/Durant showdown, which made for a more candid and personal experience.
Grading The Deal: Knicks Sign DuhonThe Knicks overpaid for a below average starting point guard, but the move should still pay dividends.
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Oh Danny Boy
Danny Granger, who has just three years of NBA experience under his belt, will undoubtedly be the man in Indiana beginning this summer.
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$10 Million For Five Players?
The Orlando Magic will be limited by the NBA's Luxury Tax in terms of filling the remaining spots on their roster. It is also possible it could cost them Keyon Dooling or Maurice Evans.
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Raptorland’s New Carnivore
The Raptors are bringing in a player who will have an immediate impact (unlike Hibbert or whomever the Raptors would’ve drafted at 17), plays a position of need (unlike Ford,) and carries a reputation of intimidation (unlike Nesterovic).
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More from RealGM's Columnists
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Chris Paul’s size has always been called into question during the discussion about his future success as an NBA player. However, like most undersized guards, he makes up for this deficiency with an abundance of quickness. Additionally, he’s a playmaker. He makes great decisions on the court, penetrates defenses with uncanny ease, and turns the ball over far less than one might expect, given his frantic style. He led Wake Forest in almost every offensive statistic during his two year run with the Demon Deacons. College averages of around 15 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds are surely enticing. His school record 47% three point average will be a welcomed commodity.
He comes to a team searching for an identity. He’ll be the centerpiece of a young, explosive backcourt that will also feature second year scoring machine J.R. Smith and newly acquired sharp-shooter Arvydas Macijauskas. Byron Scott brings the youthful credibility to motivate this group into a cohesive unit. What remains to be seen is if Paul can play strong enough defense to compensate for Smith and Macijauskas, who are notorious for their less than stellar play on that side of the court. Paul was named to the ACC All-Defensive team in 2004 for the Demon Deacons. The Hornets hope he will continue such efforts and that they become contagious. This will be a necessity for success this season.
But none of his scouting report or star potential will matter to the fans when he suits up to lead the Hornets offense in the Big Easy. His performance in the Las Vegas Summer league was hit or miss. He suffered a wrist injury early on, but still managed averages of about 12 points, 5 boards and 5 dimes. His mere 2.3 turnovers per game are encouraging. He brought the crowd to its feet on one spectacular play when he hit J.R. Smith with a high flying alley for a thunderous jam. Excitement is what the Hornets will need him to bring, along with an entertaining personality and steady numbers like he provided in college. The city wants to root for Paul, but likely won’t have too much patience if his development stunts early and his size is exposed by larger guards.
The reason for the fans’ potential impatience is that they remember Baron Davis’ flashy panache. When he was healthy and committed, Baron Davis was king in New Orleans. Driving into the city, basketball fans were greeted daily with the gigantic image of Davis painted proudly on the side of the New Orleans Arena. Attendance, while surely not anything to brag about, stayed afloat almost exclusively on the strength of Baron’s allure. There’s no denying Baron’s charisma.
What fans did grow weary of, however, was his heart. When the fallout between the team and its marquee player became obvious, fans became tired of his injuries. He seemed to follow the lead of another former fan favorite, Jamal Mashburn. The talk changed from praise to scorn in many circles. In addition to the NBA's new alcohol rules, BD's cold lack of enthusiasm created a frustrating atmosphere for the fans, a Big Uneasy.
In 2005 he played a mere 18 games for the Hornets before being traded. In the two years prior to that, he played only a combined 113 games. Judging his post-trade minutes, he most likely could have played in many of the games he selfishly sat out. Either that, or Golden State’s team doctors make the Hornets’ look like students of Dr. Kevorkian. Regardless, Davis clearly gave up on the team and the city, paving the way for his inevitable exit. Dan Dicau filled in admirably, but ultimately his sub-par defense and lack of NBA quickness will most likely render him as career backup.
Enter Chris Paul. A short four months after trading away their most skilled and popular player, the Hornets look to start anew with the Wake Forest talent. Chris Paul once scored 61 points in a high school game in honor of his tragically murdered grandfather, who was 61 years old when he died. The story is very telling, because it shows Paul’s tremendous basketball ability and also his tremendous character. He’ll need both to successfully replace Baron Davis as the face of the Hornet’s franchise. |
