If Sura can come back and stay healthy (two big "ifs"), I think a como of Sura and Rafer would be perfect. Sura starting and Rafer coming off the bench. Lots of you (I mostly lurk but have been reading this site for years) were complaining last season about getting a pass-first PG, and we more or less have that with Rafer. If we can sign a couple of people in the off-season that can actually make a wide open outside shot, then I think that Rafer will be a great fit with this lineup...especially if Sura, who can defend (if he still has speed), can play as well
...as much as I love Sura, I think he's done. I think a Cassell-Sura mix would be incredible...but I'd be happy with a Cassell-Alston combo..but more urgent is a good forward who can actually hit some jumpers.
It would be crazy to get a new starting PG if it would hinder us from getting new players at SG & PF. If some deal or some PG is throw at us, take it, but PG is NOT our weakest position. We do need a good backup PG, preferably one who can shoot better than Rafer. This would give us a change of pace. In answer to the poll question, I say keep Rafer because of other glaring needs.
I don't think we're going to do anything significant in the FA market. We don't have enough money to make an impact on the team. To really have an impact, we will need a trade, not a (split) mle signing.
We have BIGGER needs than the PG position. You are judging Rafer playing without T-Mac, and when he played with T-Mac and Yao... we did GOOD... good enough.
Is this the worst Photoshopping job in the history of Clutchfans? Yes. But how sweet would this be? Bring 'em back. One more year. For his clutch shooting. For his savvy. For his energy. For his hunger. For his legacy.
I'm fine with Rafer. It's who comes in to spell him that upsets me. Brunson. What's his shooting percentage since joining the team? 0.0000001?!? That guy's even worse than Ryan Bowen.
Alston’s our third best player, but he plays the position that is the most important position on the team. So even if there are not huge upgrades available, even a small upgrade can have a huge impact on the success of the team. I like Speedy Claxton a lot. I think he’s got the aggressive attitude that we need from the point. He’s in constant attack mode. Always looking to break down the defense and always looking for holes in the defense. Having a highly energetic point guard like him to set the tone on offense every night would be huge for this team. I think he kind of gives us what Alston has been lacking. Alston has not been nearly as aggressive a player as I thought he would be. For Alston to play nearly 40 minutes a game on a team that has missed at least one of its two stars all season long, I’m shocked that he doesn’t average at least +15 points game. As the point guard, he needs to be much more aggressive on offense, constantly keeping the defense on their heels. Instead, we’re usually the ones on our heels, as the opposing point guard breaks down our defense and attacks the basket.
skip's numbers aren't bad now, they'll be great with a healthy team next season. when going inside is not an option he's got head and bogans as alternatives. of course he's the best player to take the clutch shot, of course he's under greater pressure than if the team were healthy. the way i see it skip=fisher, jho >/= rick flop. the team just needs a robert horry calibre player at sg.
This blows me away. Rafer Alston is the best dishing point guard we've had in a decade. In that time, we've constantly talked about our need for a pure point guard, now we finally have one and you guys are wanting shoot first types like Mike James instead. Aside from that, our holes at shooting guard and power forward are FAR more pressing. In my estimation, the problem isn't Rafer's shooting, it's that he doesn't have any shooters to pass to. If we correct that, then I can easily live with Rafer's shortcomings. We just have no shooters on this team - not in the starting lineup and not on the bench. NONE.
I do not mind having Raefer Alston on our team but if we can get someone better...... then why not? It's not like his irreplacable. To think about getting Jason Terry would be nice but how likely is that? I would say almost slim to none. Isn't he also the second option on the Mavs? I don't know how he would like settling to be the third option on the Rockets. I think a guy like Bibby would be nicer. He can hit those three's and having played with Webber and Peja, I don't think he'd mind being third option.
How can he do that? He can't shoot outside, can't finish up-close. Basically, he's never been that kind of player in this league.
It's a better photoshopping that I could ever do. But I would love to bring Sam I Am back home to finish his career. He is still one of the best mid-range shooters in the league, something that is completely missing from this team. He's a FA this summer and has already expressed his desire to come back. Get it done.
Does anyone remember how much Rafer used to shoot when the team was healthy (if there was a point in our season where there was time to mesh together with other players)? Maybe he's taking it upon himself to shoot more jumpers than neccesary, and from too long a range. That still doesn't solve the problem of him choking in the clutch. Oh well, we need to give him more time with T-Mac and Yao, same with the entire team.
rafer will do better when he can be a role player instead of the 2nd or 3rd option. he is not the greatest shooter in the world but he can be more than average at the 3p. actually, all of those guys are looking for their own shots first. even sam i am is that type of a sg in the body of a pg. why would we need that type of a player? what we need is a healthy team with one or two good shooting role players. and we need a true pg to run our offense, push the ball, etc. we have that guy on our team in skip. the priorities at the pg position should not be shooting. alston is fine as long as he runs the offense efficient and hits above average from beyond the arc. he can do that, but not as our 2nd or 3rd option. so basically we agree on that one.
