Comparing Gordon and Hamilton: With the Detroit Pistons agreeing to terms on a five-year contract in excess of $50 million total with shooting guard Ben Gordon, the rumors swirling around what the Pistons will do next have begun in earnest. Rip Hamilton, the incumbent shooting guard, is under contract for four more season for almost $50 million himself, so the question becomes can Detroit make it work, or will Hamilton (or Tayshaun Prince) be out the door? It will likely have to be one of them, but let's explore whether or not Hamilton and Gordon could co-exist. (It should be noted, Gordon said there were no stipulations to the agreement and he signed it understanding he would be backing up Hamilton – but that's a lot of money for a reserve guard.)
Defense has to play into this. Hamilton is not a great defender, but he's much better than Gordon. While Gordon is absolutely a great scorer, there is evidence (anecdotal and can be found breaking down film and box scores) he could be giving up just as much as he gets himself. That's an edge to Rip.
On offense the edge goes to Gordon, but only ever so slightly. He has topped 20 points a game twice in five NBA seasons, which is good considering he has only started half the games he has played. The two seasons he has started more than not are the two his scoring was at its highest (2006-07 and 2008-09). Hamilton has topped the 20 mark twice in 10 seasons and has been a starter the vast majority of his career. Hamilton has a higher field-goal percentage, but Gordon shoots better from long-range. Both are excellent free throw shooters and bring assist and rebound numbers in the three a game range in both categories. Their steal and block numbers are also almost identical.
So, um, what exactly did Detroit acquire? Rip Hamilton Junior? Can a team be effective with two of what seems to be the exact same player on their roster? Given that both players expect and should get over 30 minutes a game, there will be times in the game when they will have to be on the court together (if Gordon does come off the bench) and how exactly do you handle that as far as ball distribution? They both can pass, but prefer to shoot, so unless you pair them with very good passing big men you might find Rodney Stuckey making one pass and a shot going up.
It seems that many think Tayshaun Prince will be the player on the way out and Hamilton could slide over to the three spot, but if I were Detroit I'd hate to see him guarding LeBron James or Paul Pierce on a nightly basis.
Sorry Rip, but you might want to start thinking about which moving company you want to use, because by signing Gordon it would seem the only logical choice for Joe Dumars is to find you a new home. However, it won't be easy to find a team willing to take on the four years and $50 million owed to a player who is already 31 years old, especially for a big man the Pistons desperately need.
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