Which position is most in need of an upgrade? PG/SG?

I voted shooting guard, but only because I'm happier with the thought of Mike James as a starter than I am with Wesley for the future.

Really though, it doesn't matter which we address. I vote for whatever position we can get the better player for (i.e., if we could get Jaric I vote point guard, if we could get Wells I vote shooting guard).

 

This is a no brainer. Wesley cannot be a starter next year.

 

I'm pretty much in agreement with Drexlerfan22 on this one...the SG is what concerns me more, cuz Mike James somewhat covers the PG base well enough...but I have to say, I don't like Bonzi Wells as our SG.

 

SG because T-Mac pretty much plays point-forward.

We need to add a sharp shooter to spread the floor to open lanes for T-Mac and Swift and to prevent double teams on Yao.

Barry, Sura, James and Head all can run the break.

 

I have a different twist:

-If you ask me which of Sura or Wesley to keep as a starter, I say Sura.

-If you say which position to add a player, I say PG.

I think Sura will be our starting SG next year, with a new guy (Stoud?) as our starting 1 and James backing him up. Sura has been an SG more of his career than a PG, but we had no choice to play him almost exclusively as a PG as bad as we were in the PG spot until James was traded for.

I think this way we improve our total backcourt within one modest and very achievable move (signing Stoud with the LLE, or S&T with Wesley).

 

Both.

 

I’ve gone back and fourth about this. On the on hand, we have more talent at the 1 and there is a great lack of size at the 2. On the other hand, in terms of importance to the team, the point guard has a much bigger role in Van Gundy’s system and is more crucial to our success. So upgrading our point guard position may pay huge dividends whereas upgrading the shooting guard position may only improve us slightly.

I’d really like to see both starters replaced, but I’d like to get a point guard first before deciding who to get at the 2. I think Mcgrady lobbying publicly for the Rockets to sign Stoudamire speaks volume about his displeasure in the point guard position and having to basically play point guard in the playoffs. Can’t let that happen again.

At shooting guard, I don’t necessarily think we need an upgrade in talent, especially if we get someone like Stoudamire. We just need to get younger and more athletic. I wouldn’t mind replacing Wesley with a player with lesser talent than him, if that player were younger, taller, and a good defender.

 

DerMar Johnson

 

I voted for an upgrade at the 2 even though T-Mac has clearly stated the preference for a pg who can score.

I've said it before, but I just don't know what happened to Wesley down the stretch and in the playoffs last year. He wasn't the same guy he'd always been. Though undersized at the 2 he got the job done very well until very late, and that scares me.

Sura on the other hand was never healthy and still highly effective until the playoffs. James on the other hand inspires me with no confidence for what we need from a pg.

I do think Head can learn how to guard 2's in the NBA before the season ends and if he can hit his shots he might be an upgrade over Wesley at this point. But that's iffy.

The best guy we can get may be the answer at either position, though I do ache for a real pg in Houston.

 

The rockets just need an overall talent upgrade in the backcourt, regardless if it's at point guard or shooting guard. They just need better basketball players. Although I do feel shooting guard will be more difficult to fill. Im curious to see what the rockets' plans are for Luther Head, and where they see him playing and whether can become a complimentry point guard one day.

 

I have to agree right down the line with you. IMO Wesley just plain ran out of gas, either temp or perm. We can not bank entirely on Head and we have very little money left. A SnT would be the best way out if someone would help us out. DGlov sounds like a younger version of BSura, which is not bad, but not good enough to start at the '2'. BSura can back up at 2 and 1, so if he is healthy he stays IMO. So whatever assets we have need to be directed toward the '2'. This is all trumped if we can still work out a SnT for SS with Logo, "It could happen". Best opportunity for both teams IMO, and that would leave our MLE for a '2' and a '2/3'.

 

I might consider signing him to a smallish contract for a player of his skills. But it would have to come with the stipulation that he have that ... thing removed from his face before he ever putting on a Rockets uni.

 

That's a tough one. I don't want Wesley to be our starting SG next year, he's too old and he has become a streaky shooter. But I'm also a little worried about Sura's knee, especially when the last stretch of games and playoffs come along.

But I think it depends on whose available. I can't think of too many SGs that are available at the moment, specifically a SG that is a good shooter and defender.

If I had to pick one, I'd pick a SG. We really need a quick SG w/ good size to defend other SGs. I think that's JVG's main concern when looking at SGs, can they defend shooting guards well enough so TMac doesn't have to.

 

I think the main issue most people have with Wesley is his height. if he were 6'5 no one would complain nearly as much about his game. His age is also a negative.

All that being said i think his skill set is more easily replaceable in a player with more size and athleticism as compared to replacing the skills Bobby Sura brings to the table.

Basically for what we have avialable the chance to actually upgrade the 2 seems more realistic than upgrading the 1. And Unless someone replaces Sura's toughness i don't want to see him go. We already have Yao in the lineup we need someone to balance him out.

 

I agree, but I don't think we 'go to war' with any of our bandaids from last year as our starters if we hope to win anything. Head will be an adequate b/u '2' perhaps, DGlov sounds like a slightly younger BSura, Sura has ?? about his health, and JB is maybe going to be offered more than we can match.

I must sound like a broken record, but I am very high on DerMar Johnson, UFA. Denver wants him back, but as a b/u. We could use him as a starter. 6'9" decent "O", does 3's, and as one poster pointed out to me his defensive PER 15.x vs. Wesley's defensive PER 11.x. We could have a very good small ball team if SS moved to '5' and we ran Damon, DJ, TMac, JHo/Baxter, and SS. That would be a very fast, good shooting, good defensive squad against DAL, PHX or DEN.

 

Once again, New Jack, you said it better than I could.

 

I think I underdstand what you mean, but it sounds a little contradictary. We can't change and stay the same both, can we?

 

Agreed.

I like the idea of Sura playing back at the 2 upon getting a quality pg like Stoudamire through S&T. Sura's speed is enough to play pg, and his main game is driving and slashing. When he moves back to the 2, his main game can be better utilized. He could be a nice defender with size, good rebounder and nice slasher with a passable outside shot. Stoudamire is a good 3 point shooter. We won't lose out shooting overall by replacing Wesley with him, but we'll add playmaking to the table as the bonus.

Stoudamire's height isn't a problem. Nash and Parker aren't imposing in height. I have no doubt DS will be better at contaning their driving than Bob Sura. We need to get past them first before we worry about Chauncey Billups, and I have no fear regarding a Rockets - Pistons matchup. With the addition of Swift our interior D will tear them a new one and they aren't a team good enough to beat us with outside shooting.

We can still use the LLE to pick up a backup 2 if it all plays out. That's why I chose upgrading the pg spot, with a twist.

 

i say we should get a quality pointy guard over a shooting guard. my reason for this is, that wesley is more dependable than sura. sura was banged up in the beginning of the season, and played injured through most of the season. part of the problem why wesley played so horribly in the nba finals is because he tried to create his own shots off the dribble with defenders in his face. if we had a pass-first point guard on our team, wesley would prolly get better looks at the basket. when wesley was in charollte/ new orleans, baron davis did a pretty decent job getting players open looks. im not trying to say that davis is john stockton or anything, but davis ran his offense in charllotte alot better compared steve francis and sura. i see the rockets should figure out some way to get stodumire on our squad, and trade sura. and filler.