I read this in Marc Stein's column, so I thought I would pass it on: "So many teams out there need a point guard. Houston, Miami, Dallas and the L.A. Lakers are simply the first four that come to mind. Yet one of the best point guards on the free-agent market is no longer totally free, and I'm struggling to understand why NBA teams didn't make a harder push for this guy. Sarunas Jasikevicius is the best point guard in Europe. He's the Maryland alumnus who gave Team USA beaucoup problems at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and who'll be confronting the Yanks again next month in Athens where Lithuania, the reigning European champions, figures to be Team USA's toughest competition along with Serbia and Montenegro. And since he already has experience playing in the States, Jasikevicius figures to adjust faster to the NBA game than his Euro point predecessors who struggled, namely Sergei Bazarevich and Aleksandr Djordjevic. It appears, though, that Jasikevicius will not be seen on these shores next season. A clause in his contract that permitted the Lithuanian to jump to the NBA -- without compensation to his current club, Euroleague winners Maccabi Tel-Aviv -- expired this week. If an NBA team pursued Jasikevicius now, Maccabi would be entitled to a buyout of at least $1 million, with NBA clubs restricted by league rules from chipping in more than $350,000. San Antonio wanted him last summer but couldn't pry loose Jasikevicius -- a clutch shot-maker with "big cojones," in the words on one NBA personnel man -- from his Maccabi contract. The concerns about Jasikevicius are his athleticism, defensive shortcomings and an occasional problem with turnovers, in addition to the standard fears about a foreigner coming to America at a position where he has to tell teammates what to do. Yet this is the zone era, when it's easier than ever to cover up for a bad defender. And while I might be a tad biased, I still rate Jasikevicius better than a lot of backup points in this league, pointing out again that he does have a better handle on the American hoops culture than Bazarevich, Djordjevic or even Tony Parker did when they first came over. If your team needs some depth in the floor-leader department, consider this an opportunity missed."
I don't understand the thinking on this either. Seems like with the current payment of mediocre talent that the Rockets would try thinking outside the box and give someone like this a shot. I personally do not think anyone we get would be that great of an upgrade over what we currently have. While I do like the idea of AD the most, I think someone like this would be more than worth giving a shot at making or splitting time with Lue. It would seem to reason that he would also come at a good price.
The Rox don't need a great playmaker guard who gives other teams fits. They are looking for someone who can move the ball up quick, see the court, pass well, get it to TMac and Yao, hit the outside shot to make opponents pay for double teams, and never turn the ball over. This guy isn't what the Rox were looking for, so there is no failure on their part.
Agreed. Turnover prone is definately not what they're looking for when it comes to their next point guard.
It seems like every single year there are like 3-4 Eastern Euros who get the label of "best point guard in Europe", or something like that. then they come to the NBA and life is a little..fast for them, and either they have to slide over to SG or SF (jiri welsch) or they just plain suck (marko jaric, zoran planinic, etc).
exactly. Has anyone actually seen him play? I've read this report but I certainly have never seen him play. With all of the scouting departments that now focus so heavily on foreign players there is little doubt that this guy has been scouted extensively. Perhaps the consensus among NBA teams is that this guys game simply does not translate into an NBA game.
The concerns about Jasikevicius are his athleticism, defensive shortcomings and an occasional problem with turnovers, in addition to the standard fears about a foreigner coming to America at a position where he has to tell teammates what to do. Yet this is the zone era, when it's easier than ever to cover up for a bad defender. I don't know, but that doesn't like a great endorsement for this player - which might be why 30 teams passed on him. I would not want this writer to be my agent.
Well the guy is leading in assist at the FIBA Diamond Ball Cup averaging 5.5 in 2 games so it's definitly does mean he knows how to distribute the ball.
Hold it guys, I just read that T-Hud's deal may fall through, so we would be in the running. Hopefully, the Cheap b*stard won't screw it again...
