POLL: What should the Rockets do if Dream wants to play next year?

[Clutch]

Props to those who were on top of the story quick last night.... I was sleeping from 6pm to almost 10am this morning from my K-Mart trip from hell.

I seriously wondered what Hakeem was thinking about his own retirement... big men are getting paid huge dollars these days for even minimal production so why not Dream, who can still produce offensively and defend?

But the Rockets ... they no doubt were planning on him moving on -- he's taking up big dollars on the cap and his space is being counted on to re-sign Taylor and Anderson (if he opts out)....

... so what to do? That's the new poll up on the site.

If Hakeem Olajuwon decides to play beyond this season, what should the Rockets do?
Re-sign him: Keep the greatest player in the team's history in the same uniform
Let him go: The Rockets must move on with the youth movement

View Results

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[jamma34]

he says he's feeling better. if he's healthy he can DEFINITELY contribute. especially in the west, where big men are a necessity. at worst, cato has an unbelievable break out season and brings his game up, even then, who better to give him rest than hakeem? he's said he's willing to play however helps his team best. this guy is a 2 time mvp, he knows how to play the game, and its not as if his veteran leadership and experience will somehow hurt the younger guys.
keep him here as long as he can play, and when he can no longer play, im sure he'll realize it and retire -- thats why he was gonna retire, he felt like he'd lost it, but i guess he has a second wind now. i think he'll perform really well this season. maybe not 20pts/10brds, but he'll make a good contribution.

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you are to be praised by gods and revered as women.

[SamCassell]

Can't answer the question without knowing how much Hakeem is going to cost. I would resign him to a short-term deal, at low cost, but if he's gonna demand 3 years, $20 mil we've got to move on. Can't sacrifice cap room for sentiment, esp. if we've got a chance at a big free agent.

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[Surfguy]

If he plays even up to half the capability that we all know he can play to and plays in a lot of games this season without serious injury problems, then...for the love of God....you have got to keep him. If I see Hakeem retire in another uniform, I will be sick for a long time. I think we should see how Hakeem is fairing at the midpoint and make another assessment then. Cato sure isn't getting the job done and, so far in the preseason(whatever that's worth), he does not even come close to having the presence of Hakeem when Hakeem plays healthy.
I believe Cato said he learned about patience during the offseason. Let him learn some more patience and learn by watching a healthy Hakeem...on the bench as the backup.

Surf

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[Rocketman95]

Yeah, I more responses are needed. Like, if the price is reasonable, or something along those lines.

If the guy came in with 20-25 mpg, 8-10 ppg, and 6 rpg, and was relatively healthy, I'd give him a shot, for a reasonable price.

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[Plowman]

I was born here and grew up with Dream,watching him at U.H.,and then all those years with the Rockets.After 3 times of almost getting us to the summit in college and 2 more times as a Rocket,he brought us our first major titles.The guy has been a joy to watch both in the way he has played and the way he has grown up over the years...This being said......NOTHING should impede the growth of this young talented team set up with plenty of cap space and 3 1st rounders.
I,personally am afraid Dream's prescence will inhibit Cato's growth(who has deferred to the great one in his last years)Cato seems to have a delicate psyche(understatement eh!).Kelvin needs all the PT he can get.If Dream could fill the role of teacher and role player....fine.I just don't think that is part of his makeup.I love the man,but he should take his well deserved cash and move on with the rest of his life.It has pained me to watch him of late and I definitely don't want to see him sully his deserved rep of one of the top 3 centers of all time.I'm just not sure what role he would accept and if he would be good for THIS team's chemistry.It's time to let go.Like with Ali at the end and plenty of other greats,I wonder about the delusions and the money....ie..motivation for these statements. HH
Now the question seems to be,do we let him go as a free agent or since we won't be committing a sacreligious act now since he wants to keep playing,trade him.The chances of the right situation presenting itself are slim(Garnett),so it looks like we say goodbye.
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[This message has been edited by hardwood (edited October 27, 2000).]

[TheFreak]

Or choice #3:

Sign-and-trade him for Eduardo Najera.

[Thanos]

If he wants to pull a Chuckster and play for the league minimum, I´m all for it.

On the other hand, if he feels like he deserves the big bucks, like Ewing, we would have no choice but to let him go.

But i don´t expect Dream to be that greedy.

If he is, I will have no regrets whatsoever of letting him go or trading him.

If he wants to keep playing, it must be for the love of the game, as that would also make sure that the desire would be there.

Our number one priority is re-sigining Shandon and Mo, and dreamcast about Webber and Garnett.

As much as i love Hakeem, we do not owe him up to the point of putting the youth movement in jeopardy. Not when it has been as sucessfull as it has.

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"I have posted so much that what I say must be true"

[JuanValdez]

The only thing we can do to keep Dream is renounce him, give our money to other people and sign him on again at the minimum. I don't think he'd expect more than that to play, given that he is already filthy rich. However, I expect him to retire anyway.

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Rockets Draft Obligations Summary

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[Pass 1st, shoot 2nd]

I say give him a Sega, NBA Live 2000, and tell him tohave at it. Ireally don't want Dream next year if he expects to be paid anything near what he's getting this year. I'd pay league minimum for his experience plus 15-20%.

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Vice-president of the Jason Collier Police

[Lil Francis]

I say let him go so we can have a shot at C-WEBB

[Lil Francis]

Originally posted by Clutch: Props to those who were on top of the story quick last night.... I was sleeping from 6pm to almost 10am this morning from my K-Mart trip from hell. I seriously wondered what Hakeem was thinking about his own retirement... big men are getting paid huge dollars these days for even minimal production so why not Dream, who can still produce offensively and defend? But the Rockets ... they no doubt were planning on him moving on -- he's taking up big dollars on the cap and his space is being counted on to re-sign Taylor and Anderson (if he opts out).... ... so what to do? That's the new poll up on the site. If Hakeem Olajuwon decides to play beyond this season, what should the Rockets do? Re-sign him: Keep the greatest player in the team's history in the same uniform Let him go: The Rockets must move on with the youth movement View Results

Some of those GROWN people should be ashamed of themselves. I saw one dude that was 32yrs old camping out for 16hrs just to get a video game. I have the old playstaion and would like the new one but I be damn if Im gonna camp outside for one. Im 18 and I wouldn't do anything like that so I know how stupid he looks at 32yrs old.

[KALIKULI]

Originally posted by Lil Francis: I say let him go so we can have a shot at C-WEBB

Straight up! I would let him go and get CB


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Rudy T. will find and fulfill Rockets destiny.

[E.J. Tucker]

I think he is doing what that old point guard in Utah did a few weeks back. He said through others that he would play another year or two. He watched Horachek[sp] go through the good byes last year and wants no part of it, but you can't say that.

I think Hakeem is doing the same thing, he knows he is going to retire but doesn't want the attention at every arena we go to.

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[This message has been edited by E.J. Tucker (edited October 27, 2000).]

[Rocketman95]

Wow, Lil Francis, that's a little harsh. I'm sure Clutch won't mind though after he makes a nice profit after selling it on Ebay!

How you like them apples?!

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When you make an assumption, you make an ass out of yourself and umption.

visit www.swirve.com

[DaDakota]

Lil Francis,

As a game designer, I think what Clutch did was outstanding.

Now, to Clutch,

There is no content out right now for the Playstation 2 that is worth a darn. The Sega Dreamcast has tons more games right now.

DaDakota

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All you MO-FO's better stop ripping off my lines !!

[Lil Francis]

I wasn't talking about Clutch I was talking about this dude that was on the news.

[Miggidy Markell]

Originally posted by KALIKULI: Straight up! I would let him go and get CB

So you want Charles Barkley back as well! Glad I'm not the only one!

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[Moe]

Your poll is too restrictive in its choices. There is a big, big difference in resigning him to a big contract, versus renouncing him, then resigning him to a 1 or 2 million doller deal.

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[Tb-Cain]

I vote that we resign him ONLY if it doesn't interfere with the youth movement. Meaning, we'll be able to re-sign Taylor/Anderson in 2001 and Francis in 2002.

I'm fine with Dream and Cato splitting time at the 5 and maybe seeing stretches at 4 this year and next year if possible, assuming Dream is closer to his 98-99 production than his 99-00 effort.

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