According to Peter Vescey, he said the raptors want to buyout his contract next year. How sad. Funny Comment he said was that when Ewing and Hakeem played the other night, ppl were calling it Jurassic Park 4.
I heard this too. On the off chance that Vescey is right, do you all think the Rox might offer Hakeem a (small) contract?
No way. Cato is a better player. and based on skill level at this point in time, Cato, is, and deserves to make more money than Hakeem.
If the Rockets were to pick up Dream (& I bet they would), it would probably be at the veteran's minimum for one year, to let him retire a Rocket. By the way, here's the Vecsey article. Where does it say that Toronto plans on buying his contract out? It just indicates that Dream only has to play one year to qualify for the full $17.2 million. Do you have a link to another article? http://www.nypost.com/sports/39775.htm IT'S CHAOS IN CARTER COUNTRY By PETER VECSEY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 3, 2002 -- TORONTO - In order to induce Vince Carter to sign a seven-year, $86,744,907 contract last summer the Raptors were compelled to prove they were in business to win. That meant committing mounds of moolah to the team's three other free agents. So, senior VP Glen Grunwald guaranteed Antonio Davis $60M over five years, Alvin Williams $42M for seven and Jerome Williams $40.8M for seven. Then he easily out-recruited the Knicks, Pacers and Rockets for Hakeem Olajuwon, who turned 39 Jan. 21, bestowing $17.2M for three . . . though, from what I'm told, he only has to play one to get it all, a devious devise used to circumvent the cap. In other words, four role players (Davis was an All-Star last season, but let's not get carried away) were awfully overpaid just to lock up the franchise performer long-term. Meanwhile, not one of the chosen, or anybody else on the Raptors' indulgent payroll (throw in Lenny Wilkens as well; Vince's mom, too) has demonstrated a capacity to lead Toronto out of its torment while Carter was out hurt (seven games) or playing hurt in the subsequent three. Ten straight defeats! Two games south of .500, if not the border! A recent four-hour team meeting! This never would be happening if Charles Oakley were alive and his conscience was haunting the players and the coach in and out of the huddle! No revelation, this is Carter's hand-picked team. What fans up here see is what they get in the treacherous present and for the frightening future. These are Carter's comfort-zone guys, the ones he wanted surrounding him now and years from now. Problem is, none of them is capable of dominating a quarter, much less a game or a week of games; Keon Clark comes closest to qualifying but he's eligible to extradite himself to the states this summer and the Raptors, already flirting with the luxury tax ($52M), can't afford to compete for his services and can't afford not to. I blame Grunwald; he spent his owner's money unwisely, if not downright squandered it, failing to recognize the need for a legit alternate go-to scorer. I also blame Carter for not kissin' cousin Tracy McGrady's you-know-what. And for not being smart enough to invite Tracy to his graduation a year beforehand. This just in: Vince is questionable for today's game. He's attending Sarah Hughes' junior prom.
Should Olajuwon have been calling in Jim Rome's show to get some Jungle Karma? Surely he could have used the smack he used on the Rockets not too long ago.
He is correct PV made the statement earlier that Raptors thought that Picking up Hakeem was their stepping stone to get them to the finals after letting Oakley go. They are talking about buying the last year of his contract out. Frankly from what I have heard from others who know Hakeem he is not that too happy with the lack of playing time he is getting. If Raptors do buy Hakeem out of his contract Two scenarios could happen. One he may go to the Lakers you guys can doubt me all you want but Shaq if anyone has read his books as well as reading Hakeems book has stated it would be a dream to play with Hakeem as qouted by Shaq himself. Another would be Rockets sign Hakeem to the minimum and he gets his retirement party at every away game as suited for him. Plays his minutes collects his free parting gifts and hes gone. End of a Story Book Life!
Why can't he just go away and retire? Probably because Olajuwon knows that he will be a nobody once he retires. What will he do? Buy more useless downtown property?
One part of me hopes we sign him to a veterans minimum so he could retire a Rocket. But another part of me doesnt want to see him playing 10 minutes for us as the 12th man on the bench. I MEAN THIS IS HAKEEM FREAKIN OLAJUWON!!!!!! NOT OUR 12TH MAN!
Will the Rockets even think of signing him?? I mean, after all the negative comments he made about the organization and coaches?? Won't Hakeem feel bad coming back if they do offer him. I don't see that happening.. though it would be funny! -LTF
I sure as hell hope he doesn't play here next year. He'll probably whine and b**** to the media about not getting enough touches, or not being on the floor enough. Hakeem's time has passed. His skills have rapidly deteriorated. He should concentrate on managing his 100 or so failing Denny's Restaurants.
as annoyed as I am with him, I want to see what he can do in the playoffs. It seems like it's been forever since I've seen him there.
Yeah, his legacy is shot. Those two titles he's won, countless points he's scored, and thousands of boards and rebounds he's collected all mean nothing because he's had a bad season on a team with a now clueless coach and pathetic, wimpy "superstar". There's no way I'd like to see him on this Rockets team, which is simply so much better without him.
Well, he gets what he deserves. He's my favorite center of all time, but a man has to know when to just give it up......same goes to all athletes.
Like it or not, things like PPG and RPG are used to judge a players' legacy. In his prime, Hakeem was as good as anyone though.
I don't think Magic ruined his legacy any more by ill-fated comebacks. Magic isn't remembered for those games. And Hakeem won't be remembered for his either.
PV is being told alot of BS to get Hakeem to start playing better. Hakeem will start playing much better now that this is printed about him. He always has the ablility but he hasn't had the desire. Last year he had some desire when he realized that he wants to play the next year for another team and before that he didn't have the desire since 97. Now that they said he is washed up and they may buy him out he will start playing like last year. Did anyone watch the game today? Hakeem looked pretty good to me. The problem with Toronto is that VC is hurt, once he is healthy they will be fine. The good thing is that they could get in with the 8th seed of the playoffs which will be awesome for us since we will get the 15th pick too. Lets root for Toronto to go .500 the rest of the way so they can be the 8th seed.
