Forget About Damon Jones !!!!

[JTFan31]

Heat will fill backcourt rotation with Jones

By Michael Cunningham

Staff Writer

Posted August 6 2004

The Heat added what figures to be the final piece of its backcourt as sources say the team signed free-agent point guard Damon Jones on Thursday.

A news conference is planned today to announce the signing of an undisclosed player. A source said that player is Jones, who is coming off a strong season with Milwaukee, and that he likely will supplant former Cardinal Gibbons and Dillard star Keyon Dooling as the backup to Dwyane Wade.

Jones could not be reached Thursday night. The Heat had $2.5 million of its $4.9 million salary-cap exception remaining but can distribute that amount among multiple players.

The Heat needed backcourt help after point guard Rafer Alston signed with the Raptors and with Bimbo Coles considering retirement. The addition of Jones, whom the Heat had pursued before signing Dooling, gives the team five guards. Jones and Dooling join first-round draft pick Dorell Wright in the rotation behind Wade and shooting guard Eddie Jones.

At 6 feet 3, Damon Jones is considered a careful ball-handler who plays a controlled game. That style may not have fit with the Heat's running game last season, but the addition of center Shaquille O'Neal means the team will play at a deliberate pace more often this season.

Jones got increased playing time with Milwaukee when T.J. Ford suffered a bruised spinal cord in February. Though Jones ended up with a career year statistically, the Bucks cooled on Jones after signing Mike James, who was with Detroit last season.

Jones started 26 games and ranked second in the league with 4.64 assists per turnover, fourth with 11.4 assists per 48 minutes, and 14th with 5.8 assists per game. He also averaged 7.0 points per game and made 36 percent (210 of 524) of his 3-point attempts.

Jones, who turns 28 later this month, has averaged 5.6 points, three assists and has shot 36 percent on 3-pointers in 348 career games.

The Heat still is in the market for another big man to play alongside O'Neal.

They had talked to Eric Williams, but Williams' agent, Mark Bartelstein, said the guard-forward has signed with New Jersey.

Karl Malone is contemplating whether to retire, return to play with the Lakers or sign with San Antonio or the Heat. While waiting on Malone to decide, the Spurs recently signed Robert Horry, Sean Marks and Tony Massenburg.

O'Neal is trying to recruit Malone to the Heat, much like he persuaded Malone to join the Lakers last season. But Malone, an 18-year veteran, is recovering from surgery on his right knee and told the Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise he hasn't decided what he'll do.

Malone also told the Press-Enterprise that ABC and TNT have called him to see if he's interested in working as a television analyst if he retires.

Staff Writer Ira Winderman contributed to this report. Michael Cunningham can be reached at mcunningham@sun-sentinel.com.

Well guys one down and who knows how many to go. I think the next guy we should go after is Bob Sura.

[Nicholasp27]

nooooooooooo

well, time to get mo williams before utah resigns him

[Packfill]

Add me to the Mo Williams band wagon.

[Sage11]

Mama use to say "you snooze, you lose." We need to pull the trigger quick on a true vet PG.....

[KB21]

With Jones signing in Miami, Sura is probably no longer an option for them. Atlanta should really up their efforts in bringing Sura back and signing Jon Barry as well.

[Nicholasp27]

i don't want to get 2 guards, as we still have to get at least one more big man, and u can only have 12 active players...this is important for a few reasons

a) we'd have to put ivey or donta on the IL, and i don't want to stunt their growth...if ivey is turning into the next snow and needs 10mpg to grow, then he needs to be able to do that

b) if we fill up our IL, it's harder for us to get talent in February...we may be able to be a 3rd party in some nice trades in February, but we need to have space on the roster to be flexible enough to take advantage of that

cap space + roster room = some great young players in February

we do need a vet guard, but just one

vet/delk/ivey

chill/diaw/donta

harrington/smooth/cc

walker/cc/smooth

collier/big man

that's 12 men right there

then if we get a good deal in feb and add a player, we can move someone to the IL to make room

[KB21]

Don't bank on CC being with the team come training camp time.

[Weez]

but sura's not a point. I'd rather have the stability in a true point...but i don't know enough of woodson's coaching style to truly state this.