Damon Jones

[jayC]

Heat's Damon Jones Elects for Free Agency

By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer
MIAMI
Damon Jones decided not to exercise the option year of his contract with the Miami Heat on Thursday and was to become a free agent.

Jones, the Heat's starting point guard this past season, had until midnight Thursday to invoke a $2.75 million option for 2005-06. He can negotiate with teams starting Friday, but cannot sign with the Heat or any other club until July 22.

He's one of several Miami players whose status for next season is still undecided. The Heat are expected to begin negotiating with Shaquille O'Neal on a longer-term deal Friday; O'Neal is owed $30.6 million for the final year of his existing contract with Miami.

Keyon Dooling, who played a key role as a reserve guard for the Heat, is also expected to become a free agent on Friday although he, too, hasn't ruled out a return to Miami.

Plus, the team has already extended a qualifying offer to starting power forward Udonis Haslem, a move that gives the Heat the right to match any offer he gets from another club.

"We want Udonis Haslem back on this team, and I think we will do whatever we can do to try to get it done," Heat president Pat Riley said Wednesday, shortly after the team introduced first-round draft pick Wayne Simien of Kansas.

The Heat would like to keep intact most of the core from the team that won 59 games this past regular season, and are likely to try to work something out with both Jones and Dooling. Miami is also waiting to hear what Alonzo Mourning's plans are for next season; he is contemplating retirement, but the Heat have already picked up a team option on him for 2005-06.

Jones, the only Miami player to appear in all 97 games, including playoffs, averaged 11.6 points and connected on 225 of 521 attempts from 3-point range during the regular season. He averaged 12.1 points during the playoffs, despite being bothered by a bruised right heel throughout the postseason.

Jones had a 3.57-1 assist-to-turnover ratio during the regular season, the fourth-best mark in the NBA behind Brevin Knight, Antonio Daniels and Jason Hart. He ranked second in that stat category during the 2003-04 season as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, with a 4.64-1 ratio.

Jones is a good three point shooter and could be the third point guard on the roster. He is also a former Mav.

[alby]

If Damon Jones is asking for 2.75 million dollars, no way.

[EricaLubarsky]

I'd say he was worth it at that price.

[Lebanese_Fan]

He flourished because he was playing with shaq, most of his shots were open. He is also tooooooooooooo cocky. He doesn't run the point well. He is just an undersized SG forced to play PG.

[LRB]

Originally posted by: alby
If Damon Jones is asking for 2.75 million dollars, no way.

Well I'd have to agree with you here. We can't afford to dip into the MLE for a 3rd string point guard when we have more pressing needs for an athletic big man and a 2/3 shooter to replace Fin. I guess Jones could fill that need by playing small ball and moving Terry to SG some of the time, but I'd prefer not to go that route.

[grndmstr_c]

Another guy who'd be a nice option if a trade involving Terry came up. No reason to go after him otherwise.