Somewhere, 11 years ago, in parts unknown, a 37-year-old Gary Payton is pissed.
Goran Dragic probably isn’t too happy, either.
Dwyane Wade has already called Rajon Rondo, his teammate with the Chicago Bulls for roughly one minute, the best point guard he’s had the pleasure of playing beside, per CSN Chicago’s Chuck Garfien:
D-Wade on Rajon Rondo: "He's the best point guard I've ever played with."
— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) September 28, 2016
So, like, this is probably fair.
Most of Wade’s 13 years with the Miami Heat were spent being the primary ball-handler. Not until LeBron James arrived in 2010 did he really cede control, and James isn’t a point guard. Dragic is a big name, but he has yet to warrant his lucrative deal. Payton is another big name, but he was well past his prime by the time he reached Miami.
And after that, there isn’t much to work with.
It’s not like Wade ever played with Tim Hardaway. Beyond that, the Heat don’t have an impressive list of point guards to rattle off when looking back at their history. There’s Hardaway and…and then theres….well, there’s definitely…hmm.
If you make a list ranking the Heat’s best point guards in franchise history, there’s a good chance Jason Williams or Mario Chalmers or Bimbo Coles will be on it. Wade played with all three—Coles briefly came back to Miami in 2003-04—but not one of them was at the height of their powers, not even Dragic.
Rondo isn’t, either, for that matter. But, while he often kills ball movement searching frantically for the perfect pass, he has sick-nasty vision—a slightly less flashy version of Williams with more ball control. So, really, this is perfectly fair of Wade to say.
Also, you know, Rondo’s his teammate now. Players tend to talk up their partners in crime. It makes for a better working environment.
