You know what I'm talking about, right? The Knicks actually play better when Ewing is not around. That's for sure. Ewing is just too damn old and everyone in New York is fearing the day he comes back. He has this huge contract that makes him untradeable and, on top of that, he's not really ready to accept a lesser role on the team. Knick fans are waiting in excitement for the day he retires. Then, they'll be able to clear some cap room and start a new era with Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell as their stars. So you see the similarities? Dream has a huge contract, which is stopping us from adding a franchise player. He is not being too good about accepting a new role. I keep trying to convince myself he's trying and that it will eventually happen, but Dream is just too proud and still good enough to be able to demand touches. We are eager to see what Francis, Mobley, and Anderson can do without Dream "clogging the lane." The case that they can play better without him is arguable. We'll see very soon... Although I will never hate Hakeem, I was actually glad when I heard he would be out for the rest of the game against Portland. When I heard he would be out for the rest of the road trip, I thought we would finally get a chance to see what the team can do without him. What do you guys think? ------------------ Francis+Charles+Dream-Pippen= Rockets 2000 NBA Champions
YES!!! ------------------ Rockets' biggest problem is not player talent levels, it is the coach's ineptitude.
I Disagree in a New York Minute! While there is similarities Hakeem is way ahead of any game Patrick consistently put up in the last two-three years. Hakeem is more athletic, always has had better footwork, a bigger shot selection, a cleaner shot, and he blocks balls in play far,far more than any center that ever played this game. "Dream has a huge contract, which is stopping us from adding a franchise player." I would take exception to that since: 1.Every NBA team has a player that have the majority of the cap wrapped around a single contract. Hakeem's is very reasonable at $10.5 M in comparison. In short, someone has to have the largest salary on a team. In Rocketland that happens to be Hakeem. 2.If we can not afford a franchise player(s) it is because of a strangling contract in the name of Pippen. He made far more than Hakeem and stands to strangle the daylights out of Portland before his contract has expired. We had to get out it and the fiscal turmoil it caused will have it's reward. But make no mistake, it was not Hakeem's salary that prevented us from competing for "franchise" players this year. 3. An argument could be made (and I agree) that we have several franchise players on the team right now. Just to put things in perspective: Jordan played several years on an underacheiving team before someone started calling him the franchise. The talent was there. The team wins were not. Ask Minnesota fans if they are happy with a 6-5 start and ask if they are sorry their "franchise" player is tied up for years in a very fat contract. 4. I will say this again: Anyone assuming Hakeem is the problem with our win-loss stats this year, categorically defies the intelligence we all say we possess on this BBS. Granted if we traded Hakeem (IF), we would get far less than most feel. Not because of his bargaining strength, but because there are far more headaches and fat salaries out there than talent. Franchise Players: Some say we need to add a scorer. Someone with a court presence to take this team one step up the ladder. Some one who can put 15 pts a game, combine 2 assists with 2 steals every game. But guess what? Who can sometimes just score at will. But we would be giving up Hakeem, and that is exactly what he gives us every night ... 15 pts/2 Assts/almost 2 steals, along with 2 blocks and over 8 rebounds. Their Needs are Simple: I say it would be nice to have a veteran PG. I say it would be nice to have a PF with defense as his main forte.But we have the makings right now to get up the ladder. I agree this injury may help our team in the long run. Make someone put their walk where their talk has been. But they face the same hurdles they had before Hakeem's injury. Execution. Focus. Teamwork. Finish. Less turnovers. Free Throws. Punishing opponents when they can. Just increasing movement through the middle won't get it done. Make no mistake we are getting better.We will contend ... with or without Hakeem and his contract. But not in spite of his contract. [This message has been edited by popeye (edited November 29, 1999).]
Many times teams play well without their best players for short periods of time. This will be a good test to see what happens over a few weeks. I understand Dreams greatness, but I was happy when he got in early foul trouble vs LA in last years playoffs. Problem I see with us is what happens if Cato can't keep out of foul trouble? We may be forced to play Small-Ball with Roders-Chuck-T-mass at the 4 & 5 and Shandon & Cuttino playing together.
My original post was not meant to expose my personal thoughts about Hakeem and his current situation at all. I was simply trying to stir up some controversy. I saw what some people were saying about Dream and I realised that he now finds himself in a similar situation to what Ewing is facing in New York. However, some of the points made did coincide with my views. Now that this has been made clear, let me tell you guys what I think. First of all, Dream is the better player at this stage. Heck, he's always been better than Ewing. The point I am trying to make is that both players are holding their teams down, no matter how you look at how much they actually contribute. Ewing, even at this stage of his career, is the best center the Knicks have on their roster. He is able to contribute a near double-double every night. However, in the way that he plays, he is not allowing his mates to play in the way they are most efficient. Sometimes, they are better off playing another guy at center even if he does not put up the numbers Ewing does. This because it increases the team's productivity, even if their center position is not giving the same output. Ewing would be able to play to suit his team's needs if he tried to do so, but how can you make a guy change from being the Franchise to being their third or even fourth option? So, I think no one disagrees with the fact that the current New York Knicks team plays better without Patrick Ewing on the hardwood. Now we have to look at the following question: Do the Rockets play better without Hakeem on the floor? The Dream, at times, has shown that he can adapt his game to suit our running. However, after a horrible shooting night against LA, he said he should have received more touches. What's going on? I agreed with him at the time. I mean, it's John Salley. But then people on the BBS who were talking about the game said that Dream was not changing when facing better centers in the league. What's going through his mind? He probably still thinks he is the franchise, and he is. But he shouldn't be. Why does he think this? Possible reasons: 1) He still believes he has the skills. 2) How can a rookie come in and take over? 3) He has the contract. 4) He's still putting up the numbers. 5) His mates still respect him and still do what he says. I mean, what 25 year old (most of our guys are around that age), no matter how talented, is going to deny Hakeem Olajuwon the ball? This is what's preventing the team from playing at its most efficient level. I think that Dream hasn't and won't adapt. Yet I do no feel that we should trade him...ever. Just can't do it. Now onto his contract. His salary makes him untradeable. He's not earning his salary at the moment. I know it's a reward for what he did for the city and the team (I guess he's already earned it), but he's not worth it at this moment in time. "Someone has to have the largest salary on a team." Popeye, that's the whole point. Dream should not be the guy who makes the most. Patrick shouldn't be that guy. The Franchise player should be the one. Why can't we get one? Dream is getting his salary. This is why people get so frustrated with the two. They are earning such fat contracts that the team cannot possibly do anything until they retire. The fact that they are slowing their respective team's development doesn't help, either. When I look at Patrick, I see a guy who's can barely walk. I see a guy who is on his last two legs. I see the guy who will only help NY when he retires. Are some of us looking at Dream this way? I'm not. Even if his play is not helping the team, he is still pretty good (which makes it less painful). He's still putting up his numbers. And...he's Hakeem Olajuwon, guys. My hero. The city's hero. You can't disregard what he has done. I guess I'm happy that, out of anyone's control, he is unable to play with us for a while. These next few games will tell us a lot about the similarities between Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon. ------------------ Francis+Charles+Dream-Pippen= Rockets 2000 NBA Champions [This message has been edited by Ace (edited November 29, 1999).]
