Round 7, Pick 4: TJ Ford, PG, Toronto Raptors

TJ Ford was one of those guys that were so under the radar last season that I was able to get him on nearly every team that I had, and for a much undervalued price due to his injuries from two seasons ago.  This season, the cat is out of the bag, and everyone is willing to “take a chance” on him.  You won’t get him for late-round value this season, but the dice is definitely worth the roll.

Plus, I already have the old Toronto Raptors point guard in Mike James, so why not draft the new one?

Bring It:

The former longhorn takes his game from Milwaukee across the boarder to Toronto, where he’ll be the main distribution center for the Raptor Express.  Ironically, the old point guard just loved to shoot the ball – where this one usually caps his attempts to about ten a game, allowing for a lot more passing.  As a Buck, Ford’s main weapon of choice was obviously Michael Redd.  Now in Toronto, not only does he have a shooter in Morris Peterson, but a solid post presence in Chris Bosh.  That’s a recipe for Assists D’Jour.

Though one of the more inconsistent shooters in the NBA, Ford still averaged 12 points per game last season.  If you can stomach the nights of single-digit outputs, TJ has the tendency to reward owners with nights like the last month of the season, which saw games of 19, 26, and 34 points.  So, it can be done when needed – it’s just a matter of when will it be needed this season.

At a mere six feet tall, Ford is one of the best rebounding guards in the NBA.  TJ had 34 games last season with at least 5 boards, including a double-digit effort against the Bobcats.  While he’s far from dominant on the glass, his 4.3 boards a game are a very nice addition to any fantasy roster.

Don’t Bring It:

What isn’t a nice addition are the three turnovers a game that Ford commits.  He’s a rough addition to any roster that features players like LeBron James, Paul Pierce, or Gilbert Arenas for instance as he definitely won’t help your turnover figures.

Luckily for Ford, his huge assist totals still provided him with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.2 which is nothing to be ashamed of. 

Also a negative is Ford’s 42% field goal percentage.  The fact that this actually increased 3% from the previous year was very good to see.  If he can do that again this season, 45% from the floor will be huge for owners that take a shot on him this late in the draft.

Also, if you want three-point field goals, look elsewhere.  Be happy if you get one a game.

How he fits on this team:

With my primary point guard being Jason Terry, I felt it was necessary to pad the assists a little bit more.  Also, Ford’s iffy field goal percentage is not only balanced out by the big men on this squad, but Terry’s as well.

Adding another solid source of rebounds is a nice fit for this already strong board-crashing unit. 

The lack of threes is a bit disheartening, especially for a drafter like myself who only likes to take point guards that hit the long ball – but here’s to hoping Mike James and Rashard Lewis at least provide some sort of base to build off of later in the draft.

Other Team Members:

1.4. Kevin Garnett, SF/PF, Minnesota Timberwolves
2.9. Rasheed Wallace, PF/C, Detroit Pistons
3.4. Rashard Lewis, SF, Seattle Supersonics
4.9. Jason Terry, PG, Dallas Mavericks
5.4. Mike James, PG, Minnesota Timberwolves
6.9. Nenad Krstic, PF/C, New Jersey Nets