replace raycast with transform direction

i have working code here. i would like to replace the raycast with a more appropriate solution.

possible?

there will be 30-40 players all with this script on their player controller.

thanks in advance!

 using UnityEngine;
 
 //smoothly rotate a particle around a player 
 //at a set distance 
 //and magenetic to the target
 
 public class rotatedemo : MonoBehaviour
 {
     GameObject pointB;
     GameObject pointA;
 
     public float interval = 1.0f;
 
     void Start()
     {
         pointB = GameObject.Find("player");
         pointA = GameObject.Find("target");
 
         InvokeRepeating("Repeat", 0.01f, interval);
     }
 
     void Repeat()
     {
         //get a ray from point A in the direction of point B
         //http://answers.unity3d.com/questions/32532/how-to-find-direction-between-two-points.html
         Ray ray = new Ray(pointA.transform.position, (pointB.transform.position - pointA.transform.position).normalized);
 
         //move the sphere 2 units away from the target
         transform.position = ray.GetPoint(2);
 
         //rotate the sphere to look point B
         transform.LookAt(pointB.transform);
     }
 }