Nothing has been released yet, but when it is, somebody please start a brand new thread so we don't have to keep scrolling through the announcment thread.
Does anyone thing Ward's contract might not be guaranteed? And that if things don't go well in training camp/preseason he'll get cut before the season starts?
Someone just posted on an other thread saying it's 4 years for sura,3 for Ward.Since we know(From 610) that sura's last year is optional,my guess is ward's too and they split the MLE.
Half the MLE? Sura is worth half (2.5, 2.75, 3 = 8.25) Ward is only worth the vet minimum and will be 34 in a couple of months.
Ward should not be signed. we might as well still have Moochie- hell we are still paying maloney- I would just as soon have Matt Maloney as Ward..... This is ridiculous..... Ward is a has been....
I would be happy if Sura got half the MLE for 3 years (4th option) and Ward got 3 years of the vet exception. That means Ward makes around 1.5M, while Sura makes around 2.5M. Solid numbers for role players.
The info will probably show up in the Chron for tomorrow. If I were a betting man, I'd say Sura got 3 years (with a team option 4th year) at about half the MLE (around $12 million total for the 3 guaranteed years) and Ward got three years for the veteran minimum. IMO, that is a little long for Ward, but that is chump change when it comes to the cap and nothing compared to other bad signs. Plus, it does stabalize the PG position with three guys who can all get minutes, none of whom have crazy contracts.
great post ! now, can you please also remind these people who are freaking out that (1) there were no franchise level players available this off season and (2) not all of these players WANTED to take what the Rockets would offer (see Brent BarrY) so we need to stop beating CD up for "not signing Barry" or not signing "Jones" does anything actually think that Jones is THAT much better a player from Ward or Sura
I think Jones is a better player than either. If I were picking teams, I'd take Jones before those 2. I don't understand why we "sat back and waited" for the better players to sign. I didn't want Fisher or Snow because of their contracts, but there were some reasonably priced true pg that we "sat back" and let them sign with other team. Eventually you are left with the crumbs that fall off the table. Even if you want to argue that Jones' is only marginally better, he's better. Why not spend the chump change on signing James or Jones? I'd rather the Rockets sign either of them then both Ward and Sura - and to 3 year contracts? Please Les, CD is a lovable guy, but he's not a very good GM for your team.
RealGM already has Ward and Sura on the Rockets roster for three and four years respectively with salary ratios for this season that I estimate to be about $1.7 mil. for Ward and $3.2 mil. for Sura. Maybe JuanValdez can confirm whether RealGM has a source for these numbers, or whether it's just speculation. Not crazy about a three year deal for Ward. Is $1.7 mil. about what the veterans' minimum is for someone who's been in the league as long as he has? But I'm fine with these signings. Sura's not a great 3-pt. shooter, but he's energetic, plays defense, and can handle minutes at the point. Overall, I'm satisfied with these signings. A Lue for Daniels trade would be good, however.
I also feel that with these signings they can let Lue walk after this year and not be in trouble. Sura and Ward's contracts are not bad. They can easily be traded if need be in the future and that's ultimately what is most important. If their contracts are tradable, then we wont be stuck. Neither of them got Moochie contracts or Derek Fisher contracts.
Good analysis. If Realgm is correct Sura signed a 4 year deal for probably 14 mil (starts at 3.1) and Ward a 3 year deal worth for probably 5.6 mil (starts at 1.7). I sure hope we have team options on both b/c those guys are old. I have to admit that seems high in terms of years and amount, and seem counter of us signing guys for less than 3 year deals and seeking maximum value. Mike James went a 3 year deal for probably 10 mil (starts at 3), and Damon Jones a 2 year deal for probably 5.2 mil (starts at 2.5). I like James or Jones better than either Sura or Ward. They are younger (more upside, just coming into their own as NBA players) and coming off better years, and played efficiently in the playoffs. To me it is pretty clear we chose Sura 1st among these players (James, Jones, Ward). I gotta believe it was his flexibility to play the 2 that swayed them over Jones or James as 1st choice. There almost surely wasn't enough of the MLE to sign Sura and James, there might have been a way to get Damon Jones and Sura (perhap we chose Ward over Damon), or perhaps not. I won't make a big fuss about it, but I think we errored. Particularly if we are going to trade Pike, we need more guys with a good 3 ball. Jones (who like Sura ccould play some 2) and James have that, Sura has shot sub 30% over the last 4 years behind the arc. I think we should have struck for James or Jones when Milwalkee was still out of the game and had our pickens between them for good value (due to the Etan Thomas situation). Than we could have look for the next JJ bargain late in the FA offseason in someone like Jon Barry or Wes Person. Mike James + Jon Barry or Wes Person > Sura + Ward But oh well, I do doubt this will make or break the season, just think we could have done much better and missed the best window (like 2-3 weeks ago).
Lue is younger and better than either, I hope we resign him unless a much better oppertunnity presents itself. Actually Sura contract is not quite Mooch-esk (6/23), but not that far off if the Rockets don't have an option on the 4th year (4/14). A four year contract is a lot of years considering Sura's age (he will be 32 next season) and inconsistency. Ward seems a bit long (3 years) considering he will be 37 into his last year. I don't believe he could have got better than two year 3.3 mil contract (the 1 dollar exemption) from anyone else. Two years 3.6 million should have secured him for sure, though if we have a 3rd year option on the contract discussed in effect this is the contract we have and I agree it is a pretty fair signing. I agree with you about Fisher, his 6 year 37 million is flat ridiculus and I think GS will regret it within 1.5 years if not sooner. I like Sura/Ward much better than him.
