Who Will Be Orlando’s Third Point Guard?

Yardbarker.com

Now that Orlando has 12 players signed through the 2010-11 NBA season, the question on everyone’s mind becomes who will be the third point guard? A lot of names have popped up but a few of those names like former Magic guards Keyon Dooling and Carlos Arroyo, are now off the market. Dooling signed with the Milwaukee Bucks and Arroyo came to an agreement with the Miami Heat.

There are still some decent options out there and after the jump we’ll take a look at those options.

Chris Quinn

Age: 26
Height: 6′2
Weight: 185

GP GS MPG PER PPG eFG% TS% 3pt% 193 26 15.2 13.0 5.2 49.4% 53.4% 39.0% FT% TRB% AST% TOV% USG ORtg DRtg WS/48 81.9% 4.9% 22.5% 11.3% 17.0% 111 111 .088

Travis Diener

Age: 28
Height: 6′1
Weight: 175

GP GS MPG PER PPG eFG% TS% 3pt% 179 21 14.9 12.5 4.8 49.5% 52.3% 35.3% FT% TRB% AST% TOV% USG ORtg DRtg WS/48 84.7% 5.1% 24.2% 10.8% 15.2% 114 111 .102

Earl Watson

Age: 31
Height: 6′1
Weight: 195

GP GS MPG PER PPG eFG% TS% 3pt% 676 208 23.5 12.8 7.4 46.6% 49.8% 33.1% FT% TRB% AST% TOV% USG ORtg DRtg WS/48 70.6% 5.7% 31.0% 20.1% 17.7% 101 108 .054

Jason Williams

Age: 34
Height: 6′1
Weight: 190

GP GS MPG PER PPG eFG% TS% 3pt% 761 667 30.1 14.3 10.8 47.9% 50.6% 32.8% FT% TRB% AST% TOV% USG ORtg DRtg WS/48 81.3% 4.4% 32.1% 16.7% 19.2% 103 107 .080

Anthony Johnson

Age: 35 (36 on October 2nd)
Height: 6′3
Weight: 190

GP GS MPG PER PPG eFG% TS% 3pt% 793 249 19.6 11.2 5.6 45.4% 48.9% 35.6% FT% TRB% AST% TOV% USG ORtg DRtg WS/48 74.5% 5.0% 24.1% 16.0% 16.0% 102 106 .072

You can read a more in depth look at Williams and Johnson here.

Click here to see a comparison of each players (sans Johnson) 2009-10 season.

There are several interesting options here but after looking over everything, I’m going to have to agree with Ben Q. Rock of Orlando Pinstriped Post – Chris Quinn looks like the best fit. Now only is he the youngest, but he’s the best shooter of the bunch.

There are some arguments for other players. Watson, Williams and Johnson are much more experienced. Both Williams and Johnson are familiar with the system and that could be important given starter Jameer Nelson’s injury history.

Quinn is certainly not the only choice. I’m a little surprised Jason Williams is still left and there are rumors that he would accept the gig as the third point guard in Orlando. There were rumblings that Williams was talking to Dwyane Wade, who he played with in Miami from the 2005-06 season through the 2007-08 season. The two won a championship together in Williams’ first year with the Heat. The Heat recently came to an agreement with Carlos Arroyo, making it much less likely for Williams to sign there. Williams played very well for the Magic early in the season but seemed to run out of gas late in the season and in the postseason. If Williams is the third point guard, that probably won’t happen.

Anthony Johnson is 36 years old so I don’t see the Magic bringing him back (I will miss the locker room antics between Johnson, Dwight Howard, Brandon Bass and Jameer Nelson).

Earl Watson has been a nice player but he turns the ball over and doesn’t shoot as well as some of the other players.

Each player has different strengths and weaknesses but I believe Quinn is the best fit for Orlando.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here.)