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Hasn't this guy, during the course of last season proven that he's totally upgraded himself? Sure he got injured go9ing into the playoffs from hustling and playing so hard to try to continue the 22-game winning streak and compensate for when Tracy wasn't on the floor. Rafer was our third option with numbers to prove it and to me is a bargain pg that we need to maintain. Without him in the playoffs we were hurting and couldn't compete at all against the Jazz.

I don't see much of an argument to keep Rafer intact and give him a chance this season when he's proven to be needed on this team. More valuable for us because he's learned our system inside out than for any team.. Probably the best bargain for a PG we have on the team when considering his salary.

He is fine for us, just not great. He runs the team very well. I'd love him so much more if he just made his 3's. I think he would be the best backup PG in the league. He's mediocre among starting PG's though.

He is not enough as the starting pg because we need him to score and thats not his strength.
We need to add another player who can create his own shot and for others and imo we can contend with Rafer starting.
We need a good backup pg , and another wing who can create for him self and others and we are good to go.

luhbron wrote:He is fine for us, just not great. He runs the team very well. I'd love him so much more if he just made his 3's. I think he would be the best backup PG in the league. He's mediocre among starting PG's though.

if rafer could hit 3's he'd be a borderline all-star an we couldnt afford him.

Rafer is not near as bad as most people believe. If he had gone to a real school in college(not Fresno St) he would have been much further along in his career. That said, he does not turn the ball over much and can run this team.

Rafer's real solid, but I do agree we need a very dependable back up for those games Rafer is crappy.

What a difference a year makes. This time last year people were calling for his head.

Rafer does a great job for this team. He is not our weakness. Here is my theory on Rafer Alston: The only PG's in the entire NBA that would be a definite upgrade for us than Rafer Alston are....Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, Mike Bibby, Monta Ellis, Baron Davis, Devin Harris, Tony Parker, and Gilbert Arenas. We arent going to get any of these guys even if we offered Rafer, a 1st Round Pick, and B. Jax. So take in the low amount of money Rafer makes, he is definitely the best option for us. These are the only players that we know are better than rafer, there are others such as calderon, etc who are debatable, but you cant say for sure that he would be an upgrade. Rafer is the best option available for this team. The only problem is we ask him to do to much because of our crappy roster. If we had 3 scorers, rafer could do what he does better. Rafer is not our weakness, our weakness is not having that 3rd star.

he was improved this year but i still think hes a backup.

When you have Aaron Brooks and Jackson as backup, he'll definitely be PG. AB is good but he is just too small.. Jackson's too old.

I still think we need an upgrade in the West where PG's are LOADED, but right now he's easily our best option. He's a decent shooter, improved his finishing around the basket, and doesn't turn the ball over. He's also a very underrated defender with good instincts and quick hands.

Aaron Brooks should never crack our rotation. hes John Lucas III lite

McGrady2Head wrote:Aaron Brooks should never crack our rotation. hes John Lucas III lite

He is a better JLIII. He is quicker and has a better J, especially to the 3pt line.

You are going kind of far with the Brooks as JL III LITE
He is better than Lucas.. Thats all I have to say

In the camp classic STARSHIP TROOPERS the officer in promoting Rico tells him "You've got the job til you're killed or I find someone better". That's Rafer-Rasputin-Alston.
Was amusing last nite to hear Laker play-by-play man who was doing some of the Summer League games refer to Alston as a deadly 3pt shooter.

id be satisfied if his FG% was atleast 42%

Our back-up PG is much more of a concern than our starting one. I am not high on Brooks, B.Jax will be gone by the trade deadline and Francis' career seems over. The drop-off when Rafer is not on the floor is horrendous. The only way Rafer is leaving is if one of our other PGs steps up because it's not really possible to trade a PG and improve in that same position.

My fingers are crossed that Barry helps fill in there.

CuttingEdge wrote:Hasn't this guy, during the course of last season proven that he's totally upgraded himself? Sure he got injured go9ing into the playoffs from hustling and playing so hard to try to continue the 22-game winning streak and compensate for when Tracy wasn't on the floor. Rafer was our third option with numbers to prove it and to me is a bargain pg that we need to maintain. Without him in the playoffs we were hurting and couldn't compete at all against the Jazz.

I don't see much of an argument to keep Rafer intact and give him a chance this season when he's proven to be needed on this team. More valuable for us because he's learned our system inside out than for any team.. Probably the best bargain for a PG we have on the team when considering his salary.

The way he played at the end of last season showed that he can be a valuable asset a the PG position. I wonder how things would have been had he actually played the 1st two games against the Jazz.