The Golden Question
Today’s New Orleans Times-Picayune examines what could potentially be the matchup for the final spot on Team USA this summer: Chris Paul vs. Deron Williams. Seems fitting, especially since these two will forever be linked by their draft class and natural rivalry.
From the article:
Assuming Kidd and Billups make the team, that likely would leave one roster spot available for Paul, since Krzyzewski said he plans to take three point guards to Beijing.
Ironically, that competition could come down to Williams and Paul, whose careers have mirrored each other since they were selected with the Nos. 3 and 4 overall picks in the 2005 NBA draft.
Williams, who stands a sturdy 6 feet 3, has a decided advantage in size over the 5-11 Paul. That could be a factor in the selection process, because international play is usually more physical than traditional American basketball, and the guards tend to be bigger.“It’s a factor,” Krzyzewski said. “I’m not saying it’s the deciding factor, because Chris has shown that he’s beaten a lot of bigger guards in the NBA this season. Chris is stronger now. He was still a college player really when he played for us two summers ago.”
Assuming the final roster spot does come down to CP and Deron, who do you take and why?
April 18th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Prof. TX says:
I’d take Paul for this one. Williams seems to be better at making a strong drive into the lane, but international ball tends to clog the paint with big guys who are allowed to knock layups off of the rim within the rules. Paul is a little bit better at getting passes to the open shooters, which seems to fit that style of play.
It’s close though.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:42 am
springz says:
I’d leave out Billups……….Yes i said it!……..I went there!
April 18th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Bobby stew says:
I would leave Billups as well. If not I would drop Williams. Billups and Kidd are both bigger physical guards so they should atleast have one quick guard that offers a change of play.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:55 am
GEE...Ghost ride the whip! says:
Ain’t no way in the world I would leave Billups. Experience, clutch and smarts. I would be out my rabbit a$$ mind to leave Billups. Now as far as Paul and Williams, that is a win win siteeation. Cause they both basically the same type of player. I would roll with Williams because I think he could work in Krzyzehwkehries (coach K) system better.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Jah says:
1. Jason Kidd
2. Chauncey Billups
3. Chris Paul
April 18th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Juanito says:
Leave out Billups? The only PG with a ring? Fools, go watch baseball or something…
April 18th, 2008 at 10:17 am
spindlest says:
I’d take Williams because he’s bigger, stronger, a better shooter (which always seems to be a problem with Team USA), and a little better on defense because of how physical he is. It’s definitely a tough call though.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:22 am
TJ says:
I’d leave out JKidd. I honestly think the other three are better at this point, especially in a setting where shooters are at a premium.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Amar says:
a lot will be decided in how these playoffs go.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:37 am
K Dizzle says:
C’mon, USA basketball. With this squad, your startin point could be Ramon Sessions and it’s still gonna be gold
April 18th, 2008 at 10:43 am
hahns says:
as good as paul has been…id leave out cp3.
part of the reason why usa has lost in international play is bc theyve relied too much on their athleticism and ability to get up and down the court…and obviously it hasnt worked, including the squad cp3 played pg for in greece. it seems like cp3’s style is more suited for the freewheeling fast paced style of play, which jason kidd can do anyway…so you have duplicate styles of play w/ those two. but kidd brings the veteran leadership that the younguns wana listen to and want to play for (along w/ kb24), so you gota go w/ him over cp3.
i like billups bc he’s proven he can be a great floor general, managing all the talent on the pistons, and can make big shots AND make clutch ft’s, which team usa desperately needs.
dwil has a nice stroke too. but id have to agree w/ bobby stew, cp3 would give a nice change of pace bc he is so quick and can get into the passing lanes better than the other 3 can…
its close as hell, and you really cant go wrong w/ any of them- but even though kidd is not anywhere near his peak, i still say hes gota be a lock for the team bc of the respect and rapport he has w/ the team.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:47 am
NYCBalla says:
It’s a tough decision, but I would have to take D-Will. Not only does he have the size adavantage, but I think he performs better under pressure. The only advantage I think CP3 has is that he is a little quicker than D-Will.
That being said, would D-Will be serious contentor for MVP if he were playing in NO and CP3 in Utah? I think so.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Yooooo says:
Kidd is undefeated in worldwide play. Why in the world would you even think of leaving him off? Get real
April 18th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Jim says:
I think people have touched on this, but CP3 really dominates the ball, which obviously isn’t going to work here. He clearly has the IQ and ability to work in a different system, but the other guys’ play style just fits better.
What is great is that we have 4 super talented choices who are all confident enough that you know they won’t have ego issues about distributing.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:56 am
aj says:
I’d leave off Billups as well. He’s more of a chucker and less of a distributor, espceially comparing him to the other three PG’s listed. Billups fits well with the Pistons but clutch doesn’t really matter cause there are half a dozen clutch players already on the USA team. The last thing four other superstars on USA needs is a PG to come down and shoot a three in a two on four not-gonna-happen fast break.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:58 am
nick says:
its really a toss up between cp3, kidd, billups and deron of who gets left off. It will most likely come down to who plays best within the team and not what specific skill they possess better then the next.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Dime Magazine says:
Counting exhibitions, Kidd is 44-0 in international play. All of the guys on the team look to him as a leader, too. No way you can leave him out.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:17 am
rangerjohn says:
i take both of them and drop either kidd or billups
the decision of which would be made after the playoffs.
kidd still has it but if cp3 destroys him he is done, billups while a great leader ON THE FLOOR i just think he is not vocal enough off the floor. williams is his size and can do everything he does already. the ring billups has, has nothing to do with international play whihc IMO is closer to the college game so williams and paul are closer to college.
the questions should more be kidd or billups.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:22 am
flyp says:
Deron.
He’s the better shooter and he’s bigger. Besides, CP3 won’t have lax NBA defenses to murder with lobs to Tyson Chandler.
This will be a moot point in a couple of years when Billups or Kidd are injured or retired and D-Will and Paul rule the USA Basketball backcourt for the following 3 Olympics.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Celts Fan says:
here’s the real question, why can’t you take all 4? Billups and Deron are good enough shooters (Billups especially) that you can play them at the 2. Can’t we consider Billups a 2 guard for international play? Personally, I’d rather have Billups than Dwyane Wade IN INTERNATIONAL PLAY (though Wade’s a captain, so that’s obviously not happening unless the injury’s worse than we thought, just my opinion though…)
IF I had to choose one or the other, it’d be CP3, since he did a really good job last summer distributing, didn’t seem phased at being on that team, and has some chemistry w/ the guys after playing with them last summer.
FOR THE FUTURE, IT ONLY MAKES SENSE TO BRING BOTH SINCE THEY ARE THE FUTURE USA PG’S FOR THE NEXT 10-15 YEARS.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:38 am
K Dizzle says:
good point, Celts
Take all four. They all play defense, they all distribute, they all d up and apart from Kidd, who I believe took one shot during the olympic trials(I’m not even jokin, I think the team forced him to put up the rock once)can all shoot. You guys sayin leave off Billups and kidd are too in love with numbers. This ain’t about numbers, it’s about leadership and your peers respectin. For example, 3 on 1 break – kidd or billups looks off kobe or bron to pass to the other wing, there won’t be nuthin said or static caused cuz Kidd and Chauncey have already earned that respect whereas cp or dwill might get looks
6 guards/wings
5 forwards/ centers
1 stone shooter
Chauncey, Kidd, CP, DWill, Kobe, DWade
Bron, Melo, Amare, Dwight, Bosh
Mike Miller or Redd
April 18th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Celts Fan says:
great team KDizzle.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
marcus the great says:
i was honestly torn between leave off Kidd (cuz of his lack of shooting) or jus take all 4. but since Ason is undefeated in international play you gotta take him. but i don’t really see any ground lost with any combination of those pg’s
also when i first read this thought it was more unnecessary fuel to the fire that is the CP/DWill rivalry…
April 18th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
James says:
Leave off Billups and put Jkidd, BDavis and Paul at the point guard slotts
April 18th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Austin Burton says:
I’d go with Deron over CP. Like someone said before, CP’s style is more suited for the NBA game than international ball. While both Deron and CP run the pick-and-roll effectively, CP more relies on being able to just throw the ball in the general direction of the basket where Tyson Chandler can throw it down. Deron runs the pick-and-roll with Boozer, who can’t jump like Chandler and so he makes Deron be more precise and creative with his passes. And you know that Deron can defend the pick-and-roll, as he’s been drilled by Jerry Sloan. Plus Deron is a (slightly) better three-point shooter.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Austin Burton says:
@James — I bet even if they asked Baron, he would turn it down. He doesn’t wanna risk injury like that when he’s already got a history. Besides, he’s not better than Deron or Billups.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
What about Ray Ray instead of miller and redd?
April 18th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Austin Burton says:
Ray doesn’t wanna be on the team. That’s why they didn’t even ask guys like him Garnett, T-Mac, Duncan, Shaq, etc.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
I guess I would take miller over redd. They can both shoot but miller is a little taller which will help guarding the Euro cats
April 18th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Michorizo says:
I would take Chris Quinn over everyone.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Chris says:
Billups is past his prime. Take both D-Will and CP3…
April 18th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Dave says:
Deron is the better overall player who can run a team, Paul is good but as I’ve noted before there aren’t very many gm’s or head coaches who would take Paul over Deron if they had to choose between the two.
And Celts you said Paul did a good job last year on team USA, you meant D-Will since he was the the third point guard on the team last summer.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
I think team USA should pick up that chubby black kid who can shoot the “knuckle puck”…. Oh whoops.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Yooooo says:
Lol, That was actually funny
April 18th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Amar says:
I live in Detroit. Billups *was* great. Right now he’s just good. He’s known as “mr.big shot”, but that was more apt when he was running with darko. When was the last big shot he took actually go in? He’s missed quite a bit in the playoffs, and while he has a ring, and some cred, I think it should be Jason, CP and DW.
If they can’t keep 4 PGs then at some stage the US braintrust needs to buckle down and recognize that USA basketball will be in the hands of Deron and CP, better get them the most experience as soon as possible that will jump start their learning curves in intn’l play.
April 18th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Celts Fan says:
Exactly Amar (the pg’s part, not Chauncey, though I trust you know what you’re talking about.)
I still think we should keep all 4 and use Chauncey as a 2, in the game w/ JKidd, so there isn’t a huge size mismatch on D (Chauncey on the 1, JKidd on the 2.) Like Amar said, CP3 and Deron are the future PGs of USA Basketball, so to leave either off is short-sighted. What’s the difference between Chauncey and Mike Miller/Michael Redd? Is it THAT BIG that it’s worth leaving off a guy that’s going to be crucial to the future success of our national team? I say no.
April 18th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Matt says:
both are great, but one thing that might be considered is who goes farther in the playoffs. With playoffs and the season just finished, playing basketball at international level for an additional two three months, then training camp, that is going to end up as two straight years of basketball when the new season starts, very hard for any player.
Personally, I’d go with williams, just because he is bigger and can pull up for the outside shot in the clutch. That three pointer vs. Dallas earlier in the week the latest example. That gives him the ability to get inside easier, and if he isn’t guarded and has a good shot, he can take the three, which I believe is closer on the international level than in the NBA.
It is close, but either way, the third point guard will be one of the top four in the NBA.
April 18th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
AY says:
I’d leave out penny hardaway, i mean dwayne wade.
April 18th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
tobacher says:
why dont u leave jkidd out? – what great has he done lately?
Listen to Hollinger,,, he is the closest thing to god when it comes to basketball analysts (ors so he thinks, but this time he’s right)
April 18th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Wilez says:
Drop Billups and keep, CP3, J-Kidd and Derron Williams.
April 18th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Austin Burton says:
What J-Kidd brings to Team USA can’t be expressed in stats or seen in this season’s NBA games. He just has to be there.
April 18th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
daquest?on says:
it dont matter larry ayuso and carlos arroyo will destroy the us backcourt..in case u dint know they are the highest scoring backcourt in international play
April 18th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Arroyo is trash, just like the whole PR squad.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
daquest?on says:
yea they kinda suck but not that bad they are ranked i think 11 in the world.. that aint that bad… both guards are always on the top stat wise of the international tournaments
April 18th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
tealish says:
I love Kidd, but in International ball you have to be able to shoot. And shoot, that man – though ridiculous at every other aspect of the game – cannot.
Paul
Deron
Billups
Covers all your bases. All can shoot. Deron gives you size and strength, Paul can run the team, and Billups will give you a couple game winners in some Euro’s grill.
April 19th, 2008 at 12:01 am
QQ says:
Haha, I’m laughing at the fools who are saying that the team should drop Kidd. Never played ball in your life eh?
Because if you did, you’ll know how important Kidd is, a point guard who could CONTROL the tempo of a game. Can’t shoot? Meh. Go watch Mo Williams if you want a pg who can shoot.
April 19th, 2008 at 1:55 am
karan says:
i say drop kidd… paul brings everythign kidd does AND he can shoot
paul
deron
chauncey
April 19th, 2008 at 4:30 am
Suciniac says:
D-Will is far better suited for international ball.I will take him over CP3 for this Olympics.CP3 will be on that team anyway,it’s just a matter of time.Kidd is definitely not going to make the next Olympics.So, drop him after the Olympics and then pick up CP3.In four years time CP3 will get enough experience playing qualifiers and other international games.
I can’t believe how fast people have forgotten what Kidd did for the US team the last tournament.It was him and Kobe that bought intensity,defense and leadership to an underachieving team.
April 19th, 2008 at 5:17 am
nbaroundtable says:
Deron Williams and it’s an easy choice. He’s better suited to international basketball and to playing with talented teammates.
New Orlean’s gameplan is to let Paul dominante the basketball and create everything. That won’t work as well next to LeBrons/Kobes/Melos/Amares/Dwights. You want a Jason Kidd like point guard that’ll put the ball in the right place at the right time. Someone who’s a floor general that can stand back and make plays without pounding the ball into the floor. Chris Paul couldn’t do that the last time he suited up for the US. Nothing that’s happened in the last two years has shown anything has changed. Deron Williams can do this, he does it every night for the Utah Jazz.
Deron’s extra size and better man-to-man defense is also a factor. He was impressive defensively last summer, brought back memories from his college days when he was allowed to body up players and when used to take the opposing teams top scoring perimeter player. His superior shooting is also a huge draw.
It’s an easy decision.
April 19th, 2008 at 7:29 am
doc says:
I’d take off Wade and bring all of them.Wade wouldn’t be there except to throw up bricks trying to prove he on the same level as Kobe and Bron.
April 19th, 2008 at 9:47 am
ER says:
Yeah you gave to keep cp and deron over billups. but if not then paul easily gets the not over deron.
April 19th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
todd says:
Deron over CP3 simply because he can shoot better from the outside. In a world of zone defenses and big 1s, Deron would be the best fit.
CP3 is VERY good, there’s no denying that, and his defense is All-NBA defensive team worthy, but his streaky shooting and control the ball style of play, I believe, won’t translate well in international ball.
April 20th, 2008 at 1:51 am
Borgs says:
CP3 had his go at international ‘ball. Take exactly the same team as that which competed in the FIBA Americas Tournament, health permitting.
April 20th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Mo says:
CP doesn’t need to play Olympic ball. Let him rest and work on his game for next season. It’s an honor to play for your country but I kind of hope he doesn’t play/get selected. I think one of the reasons he’s played so well this season was because last season after having foot surgery, he was able to rest his body after playing ball for like 4 years straight (including summers). After playoffs, the team will also play pre-season games in Europe. He’s young but sometimes you can play too much ball. Only the freak of natue known as Lebron James an keep going like the Energizer bunny. Let Kidd, Billups and Williams go. If I’m a Hornets fan, I’d want CP to not go to Beijing.