VS.
KIDD'S REP:"Point guards who don’t make mistakes, can stretch the floor, get teammates involved, and feed the ball to their team’s best scorers are critical. Hell, they’re one of the most critical pieces to championship play out there. Just look at the point guards of the past five champions: Kidd, Derek Fisher twice, Rajon Rondo, and Tony Parker. See any bad ones there? Neither do I. Kidd is the ideal game manager for a championship team. Rarely turns the ball over (2.2 per game), can stretch the floor (38 percent from distance in last season’s playoffs), and is an exquisite passer. Danilo Gallinari, although a talented young player, is a soft forward, who can shoot, score… and that’s about it. I can name about 50 of those off the top of my head. But Jason Kidd-type players? They’re pretty rare… just ask the Miami Heat."
Who would you rather have this season: Jason Kidd or Danilo Gallinari?
KIDD'S REP:
GALLINARI'S REP:
"Jason Kidd can't win you a game. He doesn't attack (0.6 attempts at the rim), and shot a below-average 34% from three, a mark eclipsed elsewhere on the floor only by his 60% at the rim. While Kidd is declining, Gallinari is rising fast. He can hit threes, he can score off the dribble, and he possesses a post game that is more refined than LeBron's. His defense is lacking, but improved once Gallo escaped Mike D'Antoni's defensive indifference. And while Kidd has no ability to take a game over, Danilo has that killer instinct (see: Game 4 vs. Oklahoma City). Kidd can dribble the ball up the floor and find the open man; Gallo can dribble up the floor, break his defender's ankle, and reverse jam over the help. Give me the young Italian, and you can keep your rich man's Derek Fisher."
KIDD'S REP:
GALLINARI'S REP:
Who won this debate? Go to the right sidebar to cast your vote!
KIDD'S REP:
"You say that Gallinari is 'rising fast.' I would argue the opposite. His second and third seasons were nearly identical. Who’s to say he’s a rising star if he’s given us no indication that he is a rapidly improving player? You also write that Danilo has a 'killer instinct'. Really? He was traded to a Nuggets team that lacked a true superstar, and was desperate for a go-to offensive force... yet he failed to become that force. His numbers declined across the board once he arrived in Denver. Jason Kidd doesn’t take games over, nor is he a dominant offensive force. But he’s a proven leader, an exceptional passer, and the type of player no team with championship aspirations can succeed without. His current skill set is hard to measure with statistics, but it’s pretty easy to say the Mavericks couldn’t have won the title without him."
GALLINARI'S REP:
"You're right, Gallo's numbers did drop across the board after he was traded to Denver, including his minutes per game (34.9 to 30.9). His FG% remained nearly the same, he shot better from three, and his free throw attempts per game went up (7.2, 10th in the NBA, one spot ahead of Kobe). With Wilson Chandler in China, Gallinari should prove he's ready to become the focal point of the offense (if this season ever happens). Due to roster congestion and an in-season trade, Gallo didn't break out quite as he should have last year, but Kidd completely fell off a ledge, averaging career-lows in points, minutes, FTA, and FG%, as well as a career-worst PER (14.46, tied for 33rd among point guards). Kidd had an amazing career, but from-this-point-on, Gallo is the better player."
Who won this debate? Go to the right sidebar to cast your vote!
When Gallinari was born, Kidd was beginning his sophomore year of high school!
ReplyDeleteDerek Fisher is a bad point guard. And I don't think Miami would trade Chalmers for Kidd straight up today. Also, yet another reason this lockout sucks: we may be robbed of Kidd's last season, or at least his last season as a starter. Despite his struggles last year, Kidd has reached the Stockton level, where he deserves to go out on his own terms. Are there any other players anyone can think of who might retire instead of come back if the lockout wipes out this season?
ReplyDeleteCanaan, I may disagree with you about the Heat not being willing to trade Chalmers for Kidd; given their extremely unique cap situation I don't think they have much long-term allegiance to any player outside of the Big 3. As for players who might retire if the season is gone, certainly Antonio McDyess and Kurt Thomas are candidates, possibly Theo Ratliff and Marcus Camby as well. The ultimate irony would be if President Derek Fisher retired after screwing over his players with his stubbornness.
ReplyDeleteAnd Derek Fisher is, without question, the worst starting point guard in the NBA.
ReplyDeleteKidd will make $8.5 million this year, while Chalmers will at least get a qualifying offer worth a little over $1 million. Kidd needs the ball in his hands to take advantage of his only remaining elite skill-distributing. Chalmers stays out of the way on offense (without being a null spot on the floor, a la Eric Snow), is a pest on defense, and shows heart and emotion (things LeBron could use some help with). With the offense running through LeBron, and Wade needing the ball in his hands to create, I don't know how well Kidd fits in with the Heat. I'm certainly not saying Chalmers is better than Kidd, but only that Miami wouldn't replace the former with the latter. I hope Derek Fisher retires. Shannon Brown needs to be set free (although, considering Mike Brown buried him in Cleveland, I don't know if the chances of that happening are too good).
ReplyDeleteGallanari a focal point of the offense? Cant wait to see that one. Its true that Kidd's skill set is hard to measure with stats. I dont believe the Mavs were winning that title without Kidd at all. Gallo still has a way to impress me and Im not holding my breath.
ReplyDelete