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[clutchfans archives]Jordan contacts Olajuwon about playing for Wizards

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by tinman, May 27, 2008.

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  1. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    Since its the off-season,
    its fun to look back at the Clutchfans archives.
    Sorry Bulls fans, MJ didn't contact Luc Longley or Bill Cartwright.

    Talk about the what ifs?

    http://www.clutchfans.net/news/670/jordan_contacts_olajuwon_about_playing_for_wizards/

    Jordan contacts Olajuwon about playing for Wizards
    WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2001 3:05 PM CST
    By Clutch
    Copyright 2001 ClutchFans.net
    With Charles Barkley planning on playing for the Wizards if he can lose enough weight, Michael Jordan speculated to return and Hakeem Olajuwon a free agent, this was an eery speculation around these parts with no basis. Now it has something to it. According to a radio report and a source close to the Rockets, Jordan has informally contacted Olajuwon about playing next season in Washington D.C. with the other two former greats. Talk about your "Big Three".
     
    #1 tinman, May 27, 2008
  2. Pizza_Da_Hut

    Pizza_Da_Hut I put on pants for this?

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    That would have been so sexy, in a very disturbing and wrong way.
     
    #2 Pizza_Da_Hut, May 27, 2008
  3. rn_xw

    rn_xw Member

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    Mj for the win! NO, Charles the rebound, passes to The Dream, and Dream throws it down on Yao Ming!!
     
    #3 rn_xw, May 27, 2008
  4. ReD_1

    ReD_1 Rookie

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    But Hakeem was still in a good shape to compete on a high level but that would be awful.

    One of the greatest players mature enough to be coaches playing in DC for what, money?
     
    #4 ReD_1, May 27, 2008
  5. Pizza_Da_Hut

    Pizza_Da_Hut I put on pants for this?

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    At that point it wasn't about money, it was about loading on another ring.
     
    #5 Pizza_Da_Hut, May 27, 2008
  6. ReD_1

    ReD_1 Rookie

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    But in those stages of your carrer can you get another ring?

    It'd be interesting those two on their positions, playing for any team together.

    I think some experts even put these two players as the best ever to play on their position and they really do have right.
     
    #6 ReD_1, May 27, 2008
  7. Dave_78

    Dave_78 Member

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    Just by reading the things Mike has said about Dream it's obvious that he thought Hakeem was the best center during that era but I also get the feeling he felt that Dream was the best player (other than himself) of their era.

    I think the addition of Barkley and Dream would not have made much difference for the Wizards (dudes were OLD) and I'm glad it didn't happen but the story automatically makes me conjure up the image of Dream and MJ together in their primes. I know some people have asked if they could have co-existed and I think it would have been absolutely no problem.

    What? 10, 11, 12 Championships?
     
    #7 Dave_78, May 27, 2008
  8. Pizza_Da_Hut

    Pizza_Da_Hut I put on pants for this?

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    Thats why I'm not to keen on comparisons of old teams with teams of the modern era. Back then, building a dynasty was easier, more possible and plausable, now, it's hard to even get a team of three greats together. I think the old celts and lakers are quite over rated because there really wasn't any competition, as well as the league didn't have far the restrictions it has now. Oh well.
     
    #8 Pizza_Da_Hut, May 27, 2008
  9. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    that MJ team had a young Richard Hamilton, christian laettner, tyron lue
     
    #9 tinman, May 27, 2008
  10. AntiSonic

    AntiSonic Member

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    Would have made a great story.

    [​IMG]
     
    #10 AntiSonic, May 27, 2008
  11. david_rocket

    david_rocket Member

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    Or they would be the over-the-hill gang in basketball. :D
    Trivia points, hehe
     
    #11 david_rocket, May 28, 2008
  12. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    this would have been a sweet farewell tour for the class of 84. Instead Dream got stuck with that showboat Vince Carter.
     
    #12 tinman, May 28, 2008
  13. Angkor Wat

    Angkor Wat Member

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    They would a have made the playoffs and from there, who knows. Hakeen + MJ back in the playoffs for one final push? It would have been special. MJ damn near lead them to the playoffs that first year but he but hurt towards the end of the season.
     
    #13 Angkor Wat, May 28, 2008
  14. ReD_1

    ReD_1 Rookie

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    But in the era of great Spurs and Lakers I just can't see that team winning anything past 1st round.
     
    #14 ReD_1, May 28, 2008
  15. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    An old Hakeem > Jahadi White

    PG Lue
    SG Hamilton
    SF Jordan
    PF Barkley
    C Hakeem

    for one year for the last farewell tour? Remember, pre-injury old Charles could still rebound and was impossible to move out of the paint.
     
    #15 tinman, May 28, 2008
  16. juicystream

    juicystream Contributing Member

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    They wouldn't face those teams until the finals. :confused:
     
    #16 juicystream, May 28, 2008
  17. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    the problem Jordan had in his Wizards years is that the only low post presence they had was him. Jahadi White sucks. The best thing he was known for getting dunked on by Steve Francis.

    the problem Dream had in his late years is that he never got the ball. Once we got Steve and Cutino, Dream never saw the Spalding or the NBA David Stern Signature on the leather. then he went to Toronto which he never saw the ball either

    Richard Hamilton back in the day wasn't as a complete player but still a reliable shooter.

    I think Dream and Jordan would have complimented each other.
     
    #17 tinman, May 28, 2008
  18. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    This the Dream response

    http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2001/0608/1211243.html

    Olajuwon, who was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1997, told Bloomberg News on Thursday that he would also be interested in joining Jordan next season if the former Bulls star decides to make a comeback with the Wizards. Olajuwon, who has played for the Houston Rockets his entire career, is a free agent.

    "I'd certainly like to play with him. Who wouldn't?" Olajuwon said during a telephone interview. "It's intriguing. I know there's a lot of reports saying that Michael is coming back, but I'm not sure what's going to happen."
     
    #18 tinman, May 28, 2008
  19. pmac

    pmac Contributing Member

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    I don't think the Dream would have been the answer to that teams' problems.

    I still don't understand why everyone hated MJ playing in Washington IMO he was still a very good player, maybe not the great all star or GOAT he was before but most players play til their much worse than he was.
     
    #19 pmac, May 28, 2008
  20. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    there were two camps who hated him
    1. bulls fans who were stuck with a crap team
    2. nba 'purists' who thought he tarnished his legacy because his last performance was so memorable

    yes, MJ was still better than most players but MJ freaks can't fathom seeing him playing on the Wizards and on a bad team. they didn't want to see him losing or not make the playoffs or get outvoted by Vince Carter in the all star game

    Did he play past his prime? yeah. so did Dream, Magic, Larry Bird, Dominique and Barkley

    i think it was more of the love of the game that made the old school legends play too long.
     
    #20 tinman, May 28, 2008
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