September 7, 200520 yr Damon Jones has taken his outside shooting and ubiquitous three-finger self-salute to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Faced with the prospect of losing his job as the Heat's starting point guard to recently acquired Jason Williams, Jones has agreed to a four-year package, believed to be worth between $15 million and $16 million, to play alongside LeBron James. Until losing out last week on free-agent swingman Michael Finley, the Heat was limiting its offer to Jones at a $3 million starting point for next season. Despite Jones' long-range prowess, which placed him third in the league last season with 225 3-pointers, the Heat apparently had concerns about Jones' defense and ability to quickly advance the ball against pressure. Jones earned $2.5 million last season, his lone year with the team. He held a $2.6 million option for the coming season, but elected in June to become a free agent. With Jones gone, it means the Heat will have at least two new starters from a team that stood within two minutes of the NBA Finals last June. Small forward Eddie Jones was dealt to Memphis last month and likely will be replaced by James Posey, who was acquired in that deal with the Grizzlies, along with Williams. In addition, incumbent starting power forward Udonis Haslem could go into camp in a battle for playing time with offseason addition Antoine Walker. Affable on a court and in the locker room, Damon Jones rubbed some in the organization the wrong way with his on-court gesticulations, although Heat President Pat Riley said during last season's playoffs it hardly was a major concern. With the departures of both Joneses, the Heat could be challenged by teams packing the lane against the post game of center Shaquille O'Neal and the drives of shooting guard Dwyane Wade. Damon Jones' 225 3-pointers broke Tim Hardaway's franchise single-season record of 203. In addition, Eddie Jones departed third on the franchise's all-time list in 3-point conversions, behind only Hardaway and Glen Rice. The Heat's roster lists Williams as the team's full-time point guard with NBA experience. The team also added former Kentucky guard Gerald Fitch. Second-year guard Dorell Wright is a potential option at point guard, although it is more likely Wade would be shifted at times to a position he played full time as a rookie in 2003-04. The Heat previously lost last season's backup point guard, Keyon Dooling, to the Magic as a free agent. With its $5 million mid-level exception still intact after losing out last week on Finley, the Heat is in position to make runs at remaining free-agent point guards such as Gary Payton, Steve Blake, Howard Eisley, Travis Best, Anthony Goldwire, Eddie House, Jannero Pargo and Frank Williams. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-97h...la-sports-front
September 7, 200520 yr Not too shocking, I didn't see him staying to be backup point. It should be interesting to see how he fares without all those open threes due to Shaq though Lebron could be an equivalent to that.
September 7, 200520 yr I hope the Heat go after Steve Blake, he gives it 110% everyday plays great defense and can shoot the three....
September 7, 200520 yr damn....first finely decides not to come bak then DJ o well its partially DJ's fault we lost game 7....0 points ....hes a joke....but i still like him
September 7, 200520 yr The Heat are also said to be interested in signing Jay Williams or Dajuan Wagner as the backup point.
September 7, 200520 yr The Heat are also said to be interested in signing Jay Williams or Dajuan Wagner as the backup point. 933671[/snapback] Mmmmm...Jay Williams... It's be pretty awesome to have both Jay Williams and Jason Williams. Damon's overpaid. He was nothing before Shaq, and he won't be much of anything after Shaq. I wouldn't mind having him around, but it won't be too hard to find someone to replace him, at probably half the cost.
September 7, 200520 yr The Heat are also said to be interested in signing Jay Williams or Dajuan Wagner as the backup point. 933671[/snapback] Mmmmm...Jay Williams... It's be pretty awesome to have both Jay Williams and Jason Williams. Damon's overpaid. He was nothing before Shaq, and he won't be much of anything after Shaq. I wouldn't mind having him around, but it won't be too hard to find someone to replace him, at probably half the cost. 933728[/snapback] He actually put up very similar numbers with the Bucks the year before coming here. He's a good player even without Shaq. Great assists to turnover ratio, great 3-point shooter and shooter in general, and good ballhandler. We'll miss him next season.
September 7, 200520 yr The Heat are also said to be interested in signing Jay Williams or Dajuan Wagner as the backup point. 933671[/snapback] Mmmmm...Jay Williams... It's be pretty awesome to have both Jay Williams and Jason Williams. Damon's overpaid. He was nothing before Shaq, and he won't be much of anything after Shaq. I wouldn't mind having him around, but it won't be too hard to find someone to replace him, at probably half the cost. 933728[/snapback] He actually put up very similar numbers with the Bucks the year before coming here. He's a good player even without Shaq. Great assists to turnover ratio, great 3-point shooter and shooter in general, and good ballhandler. We'll miss him next season. 933898[/snapback] Well, I disagree with you based on both the stats and on what I saw last year. I will give you one thing...his assists numbers were actually pretty impressive the year before he joined the Heat, but over the course of his career that appears to be an aberration. You take away last year, though, and he's a career 40% shooter. That's bad. He's somewhere around 36% from 3 point land, which isn't bad, but it's nothing like last year's 43%. And he doesn't create his own shot, which means that without Shaq he won't be shooting or scoring nearly as much. I also disagree with the idea that he's a good ballhandler. He's an adequate ballhandler. He doesn't turn the ball over because he rarely even tries to make a play. He's very safe, and he'll back the ball up the court at a speed that might make my grandmother proud, but that's about it. He's got to be one of the least dynamic players in the league, and while he's certainly an adequate plug-in, the Heat have had no problem finding low-price PGs to play the same role as DJ since Riley's been here. So, I disagee with your opinion that he'll be missed. He'll be missed like Rafer Alston was missed.
September 8, 200520 yr Antoine Walker will probably cover the shooting that DJ was doing last year. 934116[/snapback] and then some...
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