A sign that Hakeem might need to rein in his demands

It's a matter of demand and supply. While young Rockets doesn't want to spend $5 million on an old man, some teams may be willing to pay around 7-9 million. If Robinson can dream about 14 million, Hakeem definitely worths more than half of Robinson.



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its about voodoo economics

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I eat nutria now..courtesy of mc mark!!!

 

The only team that can afford to pay Robinson that price is San Antonio. They are the second best team in the league. No other team with cap space to pay Dream 10 million will be able to pay that price because they are not close enough to winning to expect Dream to be the final piece of the puzzle.

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Fuggetabout it

 

'Now, as an impending free agent, money again has entered the equation (as it seemingly always does).'

That quote from the article is ridiculous, and I am sick of people saying how greedy it is for the Dream to ask for 5 mil a year.(I believe the 10 million figure some people keep mentioning was over two years. I could be wrong).

Hakeem is the guy who turned down huge money from Nike, for moral reasons. That's not greed! If Hakeem was to get 5 mil a year, that's more than a 50% decrease in salary. Going after money as a free agent doesn't make you greedy, it makes you a capitalist. I don't think there is something wrong with getting as much as you can, neccesarily.

Now on the other hand I would like to see Hakeem back on the Rockets, but not at 5million a year, unless they can meet all their needs and still pay that much.

But whether he comes here or goes somewhere else, people should think twice before insinuating that he is greedy.


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Hakeem is already filthy rich, I don't see why he still has so high of contract demands. Even playing 30 min. a night, I can see him averaging at most 15 PPG and 8 or 9 RPG, but most likely whichever team he goes to other than us, he will be a backup C playing around 20 min.

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"See they pick and pick and pick. Man they picked me to death."
-Steve Francis on the Utah Jazz

 

No, sorry. Hakeem is being a little greedy.
I do give him props for returning when it appeared his season (and career) were in jeopardy. But I was dismayed when he hired That Agent, who promptly starts spouting off to the media that Hakeem should get 10 million...a year. Not a season. PER YEAR.

Then Hakeem basically says Mo is just as good as C-Webb, so why not sign Mo? All of a sudden, Hakeem is Mo's agent. But not to help Mo.

Asking for too much money is another step toward an inevitable divorce. Maybe Hakeem has already decided to play in Washington or Orlando or LA or Phoenix or Dallas or wherever.

From Hakeem's perspective, he deserves some love from the organization. From the organization's perspective, paying older players too much money has been detrimental.

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From my perspective Hakeem has already been shown plenty of "love" by the organization!! What did he make the past two seasons - $13-16 Mill ?? Is that not love??? Please!

If Hakeem chooses to go elsewhere, and it appears to be simply a matter of several million pesos, then he will rightfully tarnish the pious, respectful, good guy reputation he has so earnestly nutured Lo these many years!

Hakeem should be looking to retire in a Rockets uniform, which was the intent of the last contract extension he signed and for which the Rockets bit the bullet out of loyalty. His skills were diminishing even then!

Sorry, but I am pissed! If getting all you can is always going to be the bottom line, then Hakeem can go get bent, as can all pro sports participants, because apparently unfettered capitalism (aka: greed) will ultimately be the downfall of pro sports anyway!!

Hakeem owes this one to the team, the city, and on a spiritual level, to himself as well.

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Our purpose in life is to find our gift, and the meaning of life is to give it away!


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Nicely said.. I don't think it could be put any better.

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I eat nutria now..courtesy of mc mark!!!

 

Wouldn't you all just douse yourself in Gasoline and light a match if Dream were to sign with the Mav's?

or *Shudder* the Lakers?



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Never Underestimate the Heart of a Champion

 

I don't really think that this is about money, but more about pride. It might not be that big of a deal if Cato wasn't making what he is. It's just like some of you said about Shandon wanting more than the guy that took his spot. I know it's a little different because it's Dream, but I'm not sure if this is all about money. I know Dream's getting older, but Cato got his contract from a great preseason while Dream is a big reason we ended up with 45 wins.

I don't know what'll happen, but I hope DReam retires as a Rocket and everything works out for both sides.

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I have seen much of the rest of the web. It is brutal and cruel and dark. CC.net is the light.

 

Two of the free agents we are said to be interested in: Horry and Outlaw, both make 5M and would likely contribute less than Hakeem. Cato makes even more than those two.

I do think we have sufficiently rewarded Hakeem for past performance, whatever he gets now should be based on current value.

I don't know how much to invest in Hakeem, but there are certainly a number of interesting variables, even before you consider CWebb.

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http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/teams/heat/

You know the old saying, "Be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it?"

So in this case it should be amended to, "Be careful what you ask for, because there's no way in hell you'll get it."

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I lost much respect for dream years ago thru meeting him etc.. I think it is about money. I'm tired of hearing we owe him this and that. he has been paid way more than he is worth the last few years.. and early on in his career. he played for waht he signed at.. so i dont care about him being underpaid etc.. we owe him nothing for 93-95...... maybe he owes the organization for giving him a good opportunity to win it.... his job is to win a championship and that is what he signs the contract for.. so 6 y ears later we are still s upposed to pay him for doing his job.. back in 94.. his job being to win a championship and do all he can too.. hakeem needs to take a page from bark and play cheap .. and yes i know the grammar and spelling in what i just wrote is horrible but i'm frustrated right now

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Shane
"Save Our Rockets"
"Life without basketball in Houston........without an arena that is what it will be"

[This message has been edited by Rocket Fan (edited June 04, 2001).]

 

The Heat should target that $4.5 M for a PG. Hell, they should try to steal Moochie before they try to steal Dream...

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You're a fine woman, why don't you mock that draft up

 

It will be very difficult for Dream to command anything higher than the $4.5 million exception. However, there will be quite a few that will be interested in his services at that price. My bet is on Dallas, LA, Phoenix or Washington.

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Fuggetabout it

 

Jesus, you guys are being really harsh on Dream. First, most of the arguments are starting out by saying, 'We shouldn't based his salary on past achievements nor any other sentimental feelings.' Then you guys end all the your threads with he owes Houston and organization with all this love, patience that we and they have given him.
What BS! And I'm probably sure once nostalgia comes around again, you'll jump into the bandwagon of being such wonderful Dream supporters. First of all, sentimental feelings is part of the equation. Nolan Ryan remembers that very well. Everytime you mention the Rocket's championship runs, that's being sentimental.
If he was playing at a level of a straw mat, then I wouldn't be supporting him, but it's obvious he can still play. An average center should be able to post 13-16 points and grab 8-10 rebounds, and Dream has the ability to still do that.
And if scarecrows like Cato, Reeves etc. are getting paid for their inability to perform, then Dream should have the right to pursue that too. Using your own "we shouldn't pay him for past accomplishments and sentimental feelings," then Dream has a right like any other player to "maximize his profit for his potential." That's if all of a sudden, Houstonians are using this it's only business bit.
Bottom line: Dream has been loyal for Houston for 17 years. Don't pull out this he should stay at Houston because of just because. That's just being ignorant. This man has pride. I think some fans out there don't appreciate him enough, and many of us having been undermining his skills. In his shoes, I would do the same thing. He's finish his contact fulfillment. Now it's time to prove he can still play and get paid.



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Hakeem is a better player than just about every other player making 5 million a year in the league. Ok so he doesn't score 30 a game like he used to, so what. The offense isn't run through him anymore either. Reevaluate your position if you think he has "done nothing" in the past two years, yes he has been hurt and accordingly his statistics have been down, so what. There are worse players in the league that made a lot of money, Cato and Walt come to mind. Both make more than 5 mill a year. Do I think that he is worth 10 a year next year? No, unless the Rockets could afford it, but they can't. Anyone that says good riddance to Hakeem is just not thinking, remember those two championships? I as well as others know that they were a long time ago, but for a bunch of you, that is the only reason you are a die hard Rockets fan now. If the Rockets can find a way to get him 4.5-5 mill a year and get Cato off the team I bet he will sign it. It is ridiculous to say that Hakeem doesn't deserve that. He actually would be a bargin if he scored 15 and pulled down 8-10 boards. It angers me so much to see people wanting Dream to leave. That is terrible, I am not being nostalgic, but he is the best player on the market right now for that kind of money.

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I don't think anyone wants Dream to leave. In fact, I think just about every Rockets fan I know wants him to stay. But we'll all be pretty bitter if he goes to someone for say 7 million when he could have stayed here for 4 or 5. Abandoning a storybook-style end to a magnificant career for an extra 2 or 3 million is not something that'll make fans happy.

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Founding Father of the
Refs Suck Club

 

Great point! I think without Hakeem, who had that great run the last half of the season, the Rockets would have been around a 33 game winner. Cato, & Carlos, were injured more than the dream was, or at least it seems that way.



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