T.J. Ford Available

by Andrew Smith on May 29th, 2008 at 4:10 pm

As has been suggested in the media several times since the regular season has ended, Marc Berman reports in today’s New York Post that a league executive has confirmed that the Toronto Raptors are actively shopping point guard T.J. Ford.

A reporter for the Racine-Journal Times in Wisconsin suggested the Raptors trade Ford to the Clippers in exchange for small forward Corey Maggette as it would fit a need for both teams.

I know that Ford is one of the slightest point guards in the league, is very vulnerable to being posted up, and is most importantly injury-prone. But, according to ESPN.com’s John Hollinger’s Player Efficiency Rating (Insider subscription necessary), Ford was the 6th most effective point guard in the NBA last season behind Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, Steve Nash, Deron Williams, and teammate Jose Calderon.

The Raptors are not going to enter next season with both Calderon and Ford on the roster and they have made it clear that Calderon is who they would like to retain. They could be in the market for a 2-guard, as Carlos Delfino and Anthony Parker may not be their answer, or a small forward, despite Jamario Moon‘s respectable second-half performance.

As for the Knicks, the acquisition of Ford would give them more of a pure point guard to run D’Antoni’s system, than say Jerryd Bayless, O.J. Mayo, and (gulp) Stephon Marbury. I am in the group of Knick fans who feels that if the opportunity presented itself to deal Jamal Crawford straight up for T.J. Ford, it would be a no-brainer. In an exclusive interview with TheKnicksBlog, SNY’s Brandon Tierney gave the opposite opinion, saying that in no way would he ever even consider this deal. (Crawford ranked 21st among NBA shooting guards in Hollinger’s Player Efficiency Rating)

So, we ask you TKB readers,

Have you lost respect for Carmelo sitting out?


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  • Arputter

    I would trade Crawford for a musty gym sock and a couple of mothballs…the guy is the worst team player in the history of basketball…It’s hard for me to dislike him so much because he does play hard and seems like a good guy, but the way he plays basketball is currently making James Naismith turn in his grave…wow I’m a hater

  • Loveofthegame05

    Oh so your going to trade a good scorer like Crawford strait up for a guy that has a spinal cord issue. I don’t think I make that trade.

  • OrangeAndBlue

    TJ Ford? The guy’s had more fractures than the San Andreas fault. Would anyone in their right mind want to trade Jamal Crawford, the Knick most suited to D’Antoni’s system, for him?

  • vino

    How can people honestly say that Jamal Crawford is the worst BASKETBALL player in the league when he is the BEST player on our team? The guy plays hard every night and can score in bunches. Why is there such negativity surrounding this guy? He’s not a point guard, but was paraded out there last year like he was one. Why was that? Probably because guys like Fred Jones (who is not considered a PG anyway), Nate Robinson, and Mardy Collins could not come close to handling the spot.

    Crawford does not complain, even though there are times when I would expect him to. I would trade him, but for TJ Ford, I don’t think so.

  • PChoi_21

    Unless they add their #17, I wouldn’t do that

  • vino

    This is off-topic and is unrelated to the Knicks, but did anyone see the end of the Lakers/Spurs game about ten minutes ago? If so, did you see Vujacic throw up that shot at the end of the game?

    I am glad the Lakers won this series because I am personally sick of the Spurs. But how big of an a**hole can you be to throw up a shot like that at the buzzer when the game is already over? I never liked Vujacic. He’s too Hollywood for me. He thinks he is the man out there when he is only a bench player. After watching the Lakers play more and more, it seems like a bunch of their scrubs seem to have that attitude, like Turiaf and Walton. Remember when the announcers commented on how one of the Lakers’ girls told Vujacic how to keep his long hair from flapping in his face? What a sissy.

    I hope the Celtics win the east and wipe the floor with those cocky pricks out west. I do not mean to rant, but I thought that for a team coached by Phil Jackson that the players would be more classy and professional than some of those bench players. Vujacic’s shot was unnecessary and it has made me despise him that much more as a player.

  • vino

    Maybe it’s just late and I am not thinking straight, but there are some rumors that the Heat would consider taking Mayo over Beasley with the number 2 pick (if the Bulls take Rose). Can anyone imagine if Beasley fell to the third pick and we somehow traded up to grab him? I doubt that would ever happen. As a matter of fact, I would say it is about 99% definite that would not happen, but I can only imagine. Beasley projects more as a 3 in the NBA than he does as a 4. Forget about Galinari as a potential SF for the Knicks, Beasley would be incredible.

    Anyway, I am still all about Bayless if he falls (I don’t think Mayo will be there). If not, then I would try to trade the pick. If that can’t happen, then I guess you would have ot consider Galinari. The Knicks have to draft a guy that can start next year (in my opinion). I do not want them to draft a project like Randolph or Jordan.

  • theghostofwillisreed

    i’m an agreement although i don’t see any way we have the pieces to trade up. i wish…