Raptors Backcourt Is a Lesson in Priorities

The Toronto Raptors blockbuster summer trade has brought a new found excitement and optimism to the franchise. The addition of Jermaine O'Neal not only brings star power to a workmanlike roster but addresses a desperate need for an impacting interior presence. It is generally acknowledged that the price for such an acquisition, freshly minted Pacer T.J. Ford, was a necessary sacrifice for a team that appeared to bask in the glow of having two starting caliber point guards at their disposal.

But in the end, the need to make a move before the '08-09 season was hastened by the fact that the conflict of which point guard should start held the team hostage, and ultimately caused the Raptors to stumble down the stretch and suffer through a dismally uninspired first round Playoff performance against a very beatable Magic squad. With all the in-house tension, it wasn't a difficult decision for GM Colangelo to make, as Calderon's mind-numbing efficiency, willingness to distribute and evolving offensive repertoire made him an obvious fit to lead the franchise into the future.

And while giving up a shoot-first, injury prone point guard may seem like a good team decision, T.J.'s presence gave the Raptors an elite, at times unguardable, one-on-one player. His absence from the team greatly lowers its over all athleticism and, with no capable swing player, further exposes the roster's lack of a slasher that can break opponents down and get to the rim. But most of all, having two point guards of the quality of Ford and Calderon allowed for one to stabilize the second unit, as the Raps success often relied heavily on the bench to outscore their counterparts.

As it stands, the starting back-court of Calderon and steady Anthony Parker will log considerable minutes for a team pushing for early wins in a schedule that finds the Raps on a string of road trips before January. Parker is a glue player who does many things well, and would even benefit from having some more plays run for him. What he is not, is an elite shooting guard: AP must elevate his game when matched up against the top tier of his positional opposite. 

There will be little time for adjustment for the three new guards added to the roster; shooting guard Hassan Adams and back-up points Will Solomon and Roko Ukic. While both Adams and Ukic appear too green to be reasonably expected to contribute, the best bet to get some burn off the bench will be Solomon, who brings a veteran's presence from his extensive time in Europe. His strength and quickness make him a better than average defender while his offense leans heavily on a pull up jumper, which enacted in Mitchell's high screen offense will give Raptor fans flashbacks to the days of Mike James. But Solomon's shoot first mentality may actually fortify a second unit looking for a presence that can create their own offense, something evident during his best moments of the preseason. His success in a Raptors' uniform will ultimately rest on how he reconciles his roles as a scorer and distributor.

While the Raptors will undoubtedly benefit from expanding Calderon's role, they will have to compensate for an extreme lack of depth in the back-court. Conventional wisdom points towards Jason Kapono filling in minutes at the shooting guard spot, but this would come at the expense of his defensive short comings. In short, Toronto will need players to step up and contribute by committee or face the consequence potentially exhausting their starters by mid season. While Coach Mitchell finally has the inside presence and toughness he's craved for the team, he will have to do a lot of juggling to solidify the back-court rotation. How he handles this task will be a key determinant on whether the Raptors' reach the gaudy expectations of their fan base and whether he survives to coach out the remainder of his contract in Toronto.