I have to agree with Desert Scar here, I have a problem with the individual point guards, but as a group they're not bad. The most comparable situation, IMO, is in Utah with their 3-headed PG rotation of Arroyo, Lopez, MoWilliams.
I'm am kinda iffy on these signings. Consider the role players we have now... Ward Sura Taylor Howard JJ Nachbar Wilks Weatherspoon No one here strikes me as a clutch player among this bunch as of now. and this is why I can't compare this team with the Kobe Shaq Lakers. Ward did have his big shot hitting moments as a Knick but this guy could not even get PT from Jason Hart. The guy is old. in order to win games and playoff series, the Rockets will need players that know how to hit big shots, and this will in my mind be the biggest question to be answered about this years' team.
One thing that really matters to me is Sura and Ward are smart baller? That's what we need, some smart bb IQ on the team.
hey - I am all for getting rid of the Knick-pipeline too, but Ward is NOT old. He is 33 (which is no where near the ages that Barry, Snow or Fisher would be at the end of their contracts if its a 1-2 year deal - he can play 20 mins a night - so lets see how the PG by committee works for next season, until we can find that peice that fits best
We had the full MLE available (5 mil), I sure hope Sura didn't get that. I hope he was cheaper than the 2.5 to 3 mil per year Jones and James got. My best guess is Sura signed for like a 2-year, 3.5 to 4.0 million deal, just less than Jones, and Ward got the vet minimum (still over a mil b/c Ward has been in the league a long time). Together, maybe, but not individually. Those other guys had better years last year, are younger, and just coming into there own (more mediem term potential). I am OK with the Sura signing because we got Charlie Ward. To tell you the truth, Sura is more of a poor mans Cat Mobley or AD (doesn't shoot as well as either but shares some of the knuckled decision making factor though AD finally seems to have shed this) or a very, very, poor mans Steve Francis. I don't mind him as a wildcard tweener high energy sub where we can live with his lack of offensive discipline, but glad we don't have to depend on him running the team with a steady hand as a starter or bench player.
Also, the situation may play out as reported... these three will compete for the starting job and the rotation: Lue, Sura, Ward (x-factor= Gaines) Let the competition begin and may the worst of the 4 go away.
Damon Jones signed a two-year deal for about $5 million with the second year as his option. I think Sura should get a same deal if not better.
i dont get why the rockets didnt sign damon jones and bob sura instead. it might have been a little more expensive but damon would have been a huge upgrade compared to ward imo.
Assuming that these are 1-2 year deals on the cheap (less than jones' contract), then i'm fine with them. one of my biggest concerns is athleticism on this squad, and we need to have size at the 1 and 2. Tmac is an obvious advantage, but that is somewhat offset by JJ being small for SF. Sura will help in this regard, particularly against the Memphis, Denver, Phx teams. These guys are auditioning for roles on the 2005-2006 championship squad. if they do what is required, then they get resigned. if not, good bye. All things considered, we could have done much worse . . . like signing D Fish to that ridiculous contract, or things of that nature. Frankly, if I had to choose between D Jones and Sura and Ward, I'm not sure which I'd choose.
Didn't Charlie Ward help the Seminoles to a National Title? That's pretty clutch. He can also help Turbo throw T-shirts into the stands.
ho hum, yawn, sniff, yawn; I was hoping for more exciting news. No doubt JVG wants little focus on the PG position, just a pedestrian performance. Not flashy, no big noise, few turnovers, feed the TMac and Ming. Certainly makes sense, but it would have been nice to have a younger PG with a good outside shot. Oh well, we should all be thankful for what we have. The Rockets have certainly improved themselves.
Signing Ward over Jones probably opens us up to looking for a better point guard option next offseason. It just looks like the rockets brass were playing it close to the vest by not making any long term commitments to any free agent point guard.
maybe...the only reason i can think of, is that he is trying to put up rafer alston type numbers and then get paid huge next summer.
I wish the Rockets would get someone the fans liked. The Rudy days we had all these guys that the fans enjoyed, Bullard, Elie, Herrera, Brooks, Kenny, Horry, Cassell.. No one really wants to have a beer with Charlie Ward or Weatherspoon.. Besides going to the Mens Club with Patrick Ewing, these dudes aren't very fan friendly..
Ward won't be here longer than 1 year. Gaines is still a project at this point, and at least another year away from seeing substantial time at the point.
you mean... you wish they Rockets would sign players YOU like that aside, I do agree that Spoon, Ward, Pike, and Griffen are not fan favs, but they are also not long term Rockets players. JJ, Yao, Boki, and T-mac are adored by the fans - and I suspect Howard, Lue and Gaines will be too (sorry, I know your hatred of Howard, but he is a good guy and if he plays well..) we will see about Sura - he and Gains could endear themselves with some good play in the minutes they get
