Is T.J. Ford the Heir of Nash?

Rumors are a dime twelve dozen this time of year, but the Arizona Republic has published this morning a dazzling little slice of speculation: the Suns have considered sending Boris Diaw to Toronto in exchange for T.J. Ford and the #17 pick.

Diaw and Leandro Barbosa are the Suns on the block, and talk out of Steve Kerr's breath has indicated Phoenix wants another first-rounder or a higher pick than their current 15th selection. Most rumors to date have Barbosa being given away -- a problematic endeavor considering Leandrinho's the closest thing to a back-up point the Suns have got. And, as we've repeated in each of the past five summers: Steve Nash isn't getting any younger.

That's what makes the rumored Ford deal so entrancing: T.J. won't bristle behind Nash the way he did backing up Jose Calderon, and he's so young (25) that he's a budding heir who can learn from (one of) the best. Meanwhile, Diaw could be a major upgrade from the Jamario Moon-Jason Kapono-Joey Graham gauntlet which manned the small forward slot last season.

Armed with #15, #17 and Barbosa, Phoenix would still be well-poised to slide up into the top 10. New York needs bodies galore -- wouldn't the #6 pick for a Sixth Man of the Year and two solid mid-first choices do wonders?

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-20-2008 @ 12:15PM

Miss Gossip said...

noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kerr, keep Diaw. He can play back-up point.

6-20-2008 @ 12:43PM

Jaime said...

I think the Diaw trade is a no-brainer for the Raptors but a big mistake by the Suns. Phoenix doesn't need the next heir to the point when they have Barbosa waiting in the wings. What the Suns need is another scorer/shooter off the bench and a big man off the bench.

6-20-2008 @ 1:15PM

jwheeler said...

i think that a real point would be good for phoenix. barbosa is a 2. no ball handling skills, but a great scorer. diaw is a backup and always has been. it, truely would be a sad trade, but, in the end, a good one. t.j. has a great handle and can score, just not good bone density in his neck.

6-20-2008 @ 1:25PM

Ryan said...

Calderon is clearly better than Ford, so if I was toronto I'd do it. But for phoenix, I'm not sure.

http://www.collegefastbreak.com/

6-20-2008 @ 1:44PM

Diaw is a backup?? The only reason he is a backup is he has been playing behind Marion, Amare and Hill and now Shaq. I'm sure the Raptors would be doing the trade to start him and I can only think of a few teams in the NBA that possibly wouldnt start him if they had him on their team.

6-20-2008 @ 5:21PM

aleksthethird said...

Interesting, when I first read that rumour I thought: no-brainer for Phoenix, but bad trade for Toronto. You give up a point guard, who was mentioned in allstar conversations last fall, before he got injured, AND a draft pick, and what you get is an inconsistent, soft, often phlegmatic, admittedly versatile small forward? Toronto needs toughness, rebounding, dynamic, and the solution is Boris Diaw? I don't know, man.

6-20-2008 @ 2:44PM

IMoW said...

Boris Diaw's fat dumper is not an upgrade over the potential loaded youth of Jamario Moon. I'm not a Raptor fan or insider, but I guarantee if Chris Bosh is looking for a veteran presence to upgrade the team, he isn't looking for a fatter slower version of the Boris Diaw that was the Associations Most Improved, that everyone thought was the 2nd coming of Scottie Pippen.

6-20-2008 @ 9:41PM

memohamad said...

As a diehard raptor fan, I wouldn't make that deal. I just don't trust diaw, and I'm not willing to give up the 17th pick. With a deep draft like this years, the Raptors, if they draft right, can pick up a contributor.

6-20-2008 @ 4:55PM

Loaded youth of Jamario Moon??? You realize Moon is 28! Diaw is even 2 years younger.

@aleksthethird: completely agree