Colangelo's Biggest Mistake?

Legend has it that in April of 2006 Bryan Colangelo made an innocuous call to Milwaukee Bucks' general manager Larry Harris about the availability of Maurice Williams, when Harris responded with the question, "How do you feel about T.J. Ford?" By March 1, Colangelo agreed to send Charlie Villanueva to the Bucks for Ford and cash.

Although the deal was debated at the time, largely because Villanueva was a fan-favourite simply for looking like Shrek, Ford was a young, true point guard who would bring stability to the position that apeshit Mike James and batshit Rafer Alston occupied the two previous seasons. To this day, based on the play and ceiling of both Villanueva and Ford, I think that Colangelo fleeced Harris.

However, on Tuesday, October 31, 2006, the Raptors signed Ford to a four-year, $33-million deal (the fourth year being a player option) without ever seeing him in uniform. That Tuesday was the last chance they had to sign Ford before the end of the season. Had they not, he would have made $2.93 million in '06-'07, the final year on his rookie contract, before becoming a RESTRICTED free agent. What had he done to warrant $8.25 million annually, apart from being born in the same state as Chris Bosh? He averaged 9.9 points, 6.5 assists, 1.2 steals in 127 games with the Milwaukee Bucks. This, Raptors friends, is the worst move that Colangelo has made with the Toronto Raptors.

[His worst move ever? At the 1998 draft, Colangelo traded Steve Nash to Dallas for Martin Muursepp and Bubba Wells. This move would have landed him in Babcock territory had he not reacquired Nash six years later after dumping the human albatross, Stephon Marbury, on the Knicks, where he remains eternally.]

There's nothing wrong with using money to generate confidence, which, I'm sure Colangelo was trying to do with Ford, but T.J. had a history of neck and spine injuries, not the least of which is a congenital narrowing of the openings of the vertebra housing the spine, known as spinal stenosis. Michael Grange does a great job summarizing the history of Ford's spine here, including Ford's removal from hoops for a year-and-a-half after colliding with Mark Madsen in his rookie season.

But, ultimately, it's the success of Jose Calderon that makes the Ford deal even more pitiful. Calderon is averaging 12.3 PPG and 8.6 APG this season, while shooting over 50% from the field and on pace to break the NBA's assist/turnover ratio record. No Raptor since Damon Stoudamire (see below) in 1996-97 has averaged more than eight assists per game over a season. Calderon is a restricted free agent at the end of this year and he'll certainly command more than the MLE from the Raps, not to mention the possibility of losing him outright.

Can the Raptors afford to pay two point guards a total of $15 million per season, considering that Ford's injury history has rendered him untradeable and unable to even take a charge? Not when you consider the liability of Ford's health.

With Juan Dixon playing exactly like an out-of-position point guard (see a talentless Mike James) and the back of Darrick Martin's neck looking exceedingly more like a pack of hot dogs, Colangelo has said that he's looking for a third-string PG. But who are the candidates?

Ex-Raptor Stoudamire who was just bought out by the Grizzlies? He would be nice insurance for the Raps at the veteran's minimum, but given the choice between Phoenix, Boston and Toronto, who would you sign with?

Luke Ridnour who has three years left on his $6.5 million per season contract? Untenable.

Jason fucking "White Chocolate" Williams who's in the last year of a contract that will pay him a shade under $9 million and who can barely even walk?

Roko Ukic will be arriving next year, who some Raps fans believe is a conflation of John Stockton and "Pistol Pete." He isn't, but he does make the need for a back-up more ephemereal without dulling its urgency.

Judging by the way he made up for his Nash boner in Phoenix, it's unclear how many rabbits Colangelo has up his ass, but now would be a good time to pull something out, even if it was just a foetal bunny covered in placenta.