I'm not really up to date with Bob Sura's status, but why all suggestions of trading him away? Afaik, he's working hard on a comeback and, unless he, himself, decides to retire now, its just unethical to trade him away no matter how good the deal. In other words, don't the Rox have a gentleman's agreement with him? I'd lose my entire respect towards the organization if they ever do that.
I seriously don't think he's coming back. Just a waste of a roster spot if you ask me. I appreciate what he did for us earlier, but being on the team payroll for 2 seasons without doing anything is only hurting the Rockets.
My understanding is that it's more of a favor than anything else. But that was before T-Mac and Yao went down, plus it's been a while. It's been a month since he said "a few weeks" and early January is as far as we can go. We need reinforcement. Sura coming back would be better than a trade. He's familiar with the team, the system. he's got heart. He fills a need - 10-15 minutes as backup PG. If Sura comes back in a week or two MAX, and we acquire someone 6'10 or above who can give us 20 decent minutes with the trade exception (Calvin Booth?), then we don't need to make a trade. This team, although short on talent, is HUGE on heart: Deke (HEART)/acquired player (Calvin Booth?) Hayes (HEART)/Howard/Padgett/Novak Battier(HEART)/Wells Head/Wells(HEART)/Spanoulis (HEART) Alston/Sura (HEART)/Lucas That team can play crazy D and sacrifice the blood and sweat it would take to keep this team afloat.
It's not his fault not to be able to contribute. If he is blocking Rockets progress, it's the management fault for not releasing him.
the organization had a serious talk with him before the season and told him straight up "if u can comeback, we are keeping u, if u cant, we are gonna release u and keep Jacobsen/Azubazooka/Hairy-azz." well, word was that he is coming back and he will be able to play valuable minutes. so they kept him. I dont see them releasing/trading him because they already have an "unofficial" agreement. afterall, he is not getting paid that much (I dont have an exact number), but I am sure Les is not willing to waste his money. I really hope he comes back (and I am sure he will), the guy was the heart of the team when we made that run in 04-05. I love the way he plays. I like to think of him as a "smaller, less classy, more aggressive version of Shane Battier"
better to be stuck with his contract by waiving him and letting a youngster come in and possibly add something to our team, than letting him have his "dignity" by sitting at the end of our bench when now more than ever - WE REALLY NEED SOME HELP. ideally the rockets trade him instead of just paying him, but at this point... not sure which is better. honestly guys... is there really a team out there that will give us an impact player for expiring contracts/picks/TE? i guess i'm skeptical of that really happening...
I doubt that Sura will come back. Even though I would like to see him back. Sura has heart. Even if he does come back... I doubt he'll have a huge impact on the Rockets.
If Yao and TMac can play, we could give him more time to recover from his injuries. But he have to go now, either trade him or just waive him.
I heard Matt Jackson suggest they would be looking to move Suras expiring contract before the trade deadline.
WTF is a 33 year old, stitched together tweener guard going to do for us right now? I loved the way Sura played for years and was ecstatic when Houston picked him up but he is a role player. He is Shane Battier with less ability and a mean streak. How is he going to help this team when what this team needs is size and athleticism at the 4/5 and guys who can create their own shot at any position? Bobby is a role player and that is of no use when every other guy on the active roster other than Bonzi is also a role player.
Money is NOT the issue, ROSTER SPOT is! We are down to 11 players after Yao, Tmac, Snyder are out. We need bodies that can play now, or we are in deep trouble.
So he's agreed to retire? Is it time to get in on the Ron Artest sweepstakes? I don't know high on Maggette the Kings are but according to this article: http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-sp-cliprep25dec25,1,3718662.story? Kings were willing to give a Bonzi 8M/year contract several months ago. Maybe Rockets and Sac can swap headcases? Bonzi+Sura for Artest? The expiring contracts would allow the Kings to be a major player in the 2007 free agency period. I would be vey confident of the Rockets staying within the top 8 teams in the WC with this team without Mac or Yao. Rafer, Lucas, Spanoulis Artest, Head Battier, Padgett Hayes, Novak Juwan, Deke The guards as it is is too small and Hayes has been having too many games where matchups have been a problem. Artest would be a one-man all-purpose remedy for this team.
There are financial considerations that haven't really been mentioned in this thread, right? I don't know all the details, but it is true that if we just waive him, we are paying for him, as hooroo said, right? And there's also a special NBA provision about injured players. If we get to some deadline, maybe the trade deadline or near that, and Sura still hasn't been able to make it back because of injury, then we get an exemption like an MLE or something to pick up another player. Didn't the Nugs already use that mechanism this season, when one of their players had a season-ending injury? I'm sure someone on this board knows the details of this injured player provision. Anyway, at midseason there will be a strategic bonus to having an injured Sura on the roster. P.S. Sura is not an expiring contract. He is scheduled to get $3.8 mill in 2007-08. P.P.S. PLEASE no Calvin Booth. That guy barely belongs in the NBA.
http://clutchfans.net/players/bobby_sura/ Sura is a FA unless the team picks up the option. He is an expiring. One simple, clean trade would be to send Sura's contract and our first rounder to Toronto for Mo Pete. He can score the ball and is a good shooter and defender. Sura's contract would work and I would think unless somebody offers Toronto more that they would settle for the draft pick, especially since 111 is hurt and we could sink a little in the standings.
A little couple of facts about Sura's contract: -According to hoopshype.com, Sura is owed till next year guaranteed. -If Sura retires, insurance picks up the rest of his contract. -Sura would automatically come off the cap this year, therefore we can call him an expiring contract, that's if he retires though. -If he comes back and plays, the money owed to him next year would still count against our cap. -I'm not sure which source is right, either hoopshype.com or CF.net (TO option accordingly), but both are reliable sources. -The only reason a team will trade for Sura will be because he is going to retire, therefore like I said above, his contract quickly becomes an expiring contract.
