If looks like it is down to Bob Sura and Damon Jones. Which 1 of the two is a better fit at PG for the Rockets. I keep hearing the Rockets are going to use the 6.9 million trade exception. but I will believe it when I see it.
I like Sura......... I think he is a better option for us at PG and don't forget about Charlie Ward........ he was not a bad PG in NYC with Van Gundy at the helm
i say sign whoever is cheaper. Personally I think none of these guys are long-term type starting pgs. we can sign one for cheap, and wait for a good long term guy, than one of these two could be a really good backup.
Jones is more stable. Sura is more talented and a better defender. I would just go with the cheapest one.
I thought the objective was to upgrade at the point. Ward and Sura wouldn't beat out Lue for the starting job and Jones vs. Lue is a wash. Why sign Jones if he's not going to significantly upgrade our starting 1? It has to be someone other than those names mentioned above. Check out http://www.basketballreference.com. Compare the Efficiency, Approximate Value and Versatility Index values for those players. Here are last year's numbers: Eff Value VI Lue 10.66 7.2 4.8 Jones 10.01 7.3 4.4 Sura 9.85 7.1 4.5 Ward 7.39 5.2 3.3 Jones may be a better distributer, if you want to bank on one nice season in Milwaukee, but Lue is the better shooter and defender (even giving up 3 inches to Jones). I think McGrady will handle the ball a lot and you need someone else on the floor to keep the defense honest. *IF* Lue starts, a lineup of Yao/Howard/Jackson/McGrady/Lue improves on Yao/Cato/Jackson/Mobley/Francis by: +7.15 Efficiency +2.2 Approximate Value +2.9 Versatility Index We're a better team, for sure, and should be careful in selecting another point.
Sura is big and can defend. He is explosive with the ball and can shoot. Four things that Lue is not. Yes he is erratic. But the tough D and energy is something we need.
True, he's bigger than Lue. But Lue shot 43% from the field and 38% from the 3. Sura shot 41% and 26%. "Explosive with the ball" didn't lead to better shooting or more assists than Lue as Lue dished 4.2 to Sura's 2.9. I don't think there is enough there to warrant signing him. I definately hoping the Rockets have something better in mind.
Tb-cain, Lue and Jones may be comparable in value, but they bring different facets to limit potential match-up problems versus one kind of opposing 1 versus another. Jones has good size for the 1, and could even play some 2 minutes. Lue is very small pure 1, but other than that is an OK all around and very quick. Besides, neither one is such a workhorse who would goble up all the 1 minutes. I would feel pretty good about the 1 spot with Lue and Jones sharing the load. Having only 1 is a much weaker and exploitable position. I don't like Sura inconsistent offense one bit. The only times he has got any kind of heavy minutes was on completely crappy teams that could deal with his up and down game. Not what we need at all, Ward would even be better than Sura.
The same could be said of Jones, who got his first heavy minutes at Milwaukee last year, a .500 team in the East. I'm not opposed to Jones. I just wouldn't want to overspend for him, a la GSW with Fisher. The two might actually compliment each other nicely.
Wait, wait, wait... Has anyone (outside of this board) even mentioned Sura's name with regards to the Rockets?
Some differences though. 1) Milwalkee was a respectable team and Jones was fairly efficient and steady for them. 2) Jones may have finally found a place and figured out his strengths over the years (stats are improving). Sura has been hit and miss, mostly miss, his whole career. There is no potential upside in his trajectory. I agree to not overspeed. In just depends on contract. Certainly not Fisher size, but anything between what Alston and Arroyo got is in the ball park. I don't mind 4, 5 even 6 years, in order to reduce the average amount per year. Unlike Fisher, there is a decent chance Jones can still contribute at least as a back up 5 years from now.
I'm not convinced that Jones is the answer. I wouldn't give him more than a 2 year 3 million contract if we can't get anyone else.
I'd do 5 years 16 mil easy (about 1/2 the MLE leaving another full half to pursue a big man). After that I might get a little stingy, but 4/18, 5/20, 6/22, still probably get it done. Could always pick up a back-up C with the TE and have a contract starting a 2mil (more than the 1.7 exemption) to look for veteran depth.
Sura is a Natura SG. Though last season he played pretty good for the hawks as a Stand in PG. for memorie he had 3 Triple dubles in aow?
yes, Sura collected like 3 triple doubles in a row at the end of last season. He just missed a 4th in a row by 1 rebound. He tried to get that last rebound as time expired when he intentionally missed a shot at the basket hehe. I thought it was funny. Anyway someone asked if Sura was a SG. Yes he is a SG but played alot at PG for Hawks last season. He is no different than Brent Barry in the sense that he is a SG who can play PG. Also someone asked if Sura was being mentioned. Of course he is, how can he not be ? Rockets are looking for a PG. They already missed on Barry, Fisher, and Hudson. Of course Sura has to be on the top of their list. How can it not ? sura or Jones, I will take either at this point. Both are better than Lue.
Because, he is a good player who can play PG ! He isn't quite Brent Barry, but I feel he could be just as good for the Rockets. Just imagine a taller and stronger Matt Maloney still playing in his early 30's ....
