Hakeem vs Cato

Person A : "Hey, is that a Hornet's nest?"

Person B : "Yeah, I'm going to hit it with a stick"

Person A : "Cool"

 

Agreed it was the right decision to let Hakeem go, esp. for the $$$$$ he was demanding. However, that doesn't make Cato any less of a disappointment...and I'm afraid we're stuck with him and his salary for a few more years.

 

Dak,

And there is another benefit, as Cato costs less to get printed on the back of the uniforms than Olajuwon.

All is good!!!

Smeg

 

LOL!

Honestly, from an opponent's opinion, you guys did the right thing about letting Hakeem go. I wasn't sure about it before the season, mainly because I'm the type of guy that likes to see legends stay with one team. John Elway was, and always will be a Denver Bronco. I viewed Hakeem as a Rocket. However, he was struggling. I remember watching him in Denver when the Rockets would play the Nugs, and he always looked gassed. He should have retired. I can't remember how much he's earning a year, but odds are it's way too much for his output (then again, Cato isn't exactly your money's worth either).

OK, now I'm going to sit back and watch the stick hit the hornet's nest.

 

You are so wrong. The only reason Hakeem is not productive in Toronto is because of the system they use. He would have been alot more productive here. He has post move that require double teams. No body get double teamed in the post here to open up the outside game. Second he alters the other teams offense because of the shot block possiblity. Cato has no sense of defense. Cato is better than Willis but Hakeem is light years better than Cato even at 39.

The only reasone we won 45 games last year was because HAKEEM was on this team and healthy.

 

We not even going to start this. If anyone thinks this team is better off with Cato than Hakeem, then I don't know what game they're watching. The numbers don't lie, and I'm not talking about just the points and rebs.What about 2 blks a game as opposed to Cato awful blks numbers.

 

Woodlands,
Did you miss the first 3/4s of the season when Hakeem was huffing and puffing down the court, only to get his dunk attempts rejected by the bottom of the rim?

Cato's money is better than what Hakeem wanted because he has the potential to be a good center. Hopefully the guys on the team can convince him to hit the weight room this summer like Mo T did. He has shown more intensity this season, at times anyway. If he was in better physical shape I think he could be part of a good front line with Griff and Mo, or at least we could trade him after he drives up his value. Maybe Steve, Cato, Taylor, Langhi/Morris and Picks for Duncan (plus Parker perhaps?)?

1 - Norris, Brown
2 - Mobley, Torres
3 - Rice, Morris/Langhi, Williams
4 - Griffin, Thomas
5 - Duncan, Willis

 

Hakeem missed three dunks last year. Cato has missed about 10 already. I wish people would quit using his missed dunks as an example of why he wasn't playing well.

And he didn't put up big numbers until his minutes were increased in the second half of the season. Even in the first half, Hakeem's numbers were still excellent for the minutes he was getting.

I wish Toronto would go to Dream more. He has already won a game at the buzzer, and sent another into overtime. That's far more than Cato has done.

 

Correction Dada:

He doesn't shoot 52 %, he dunks 52 %.

 

classic

 

Dream didn't just bring stats, he brought leadership and set a standard for the level of play during a game. Last year when Dream was in the game, you never saw the Rockets just giving up on D the way they do now but now that he's gone, it seems like the majority of the time we dont even contest shots or even rebounds.

 

Theres no way you can compare the two. Hakeem is a hella better than cato. There is no comparison. Thats like comparing moochie norris to steve francis. I mean one is the greatest center of al ltiem and the other is some bum 7footer who fooled the rockets into giving him a big contract. If we stil lhad hakeem i think our record would be better. He brings a higher level of defensive intensity, rebouns more, can hit hte houtside shot, has much more cluth ability, would sell many more tickets.. the list juss goes on and on. Hakeem kicks cato's a$$ NE DAY

 

I really like the leadership on the team now. Lets see. First a drug suspension then a DWI and finally a fifteen game losing streak...

It was the first half. When Hakeem started getting the respect he deserved he came through until he got hurt. If he didn't get hurt at the end of the season we were playoff bound.

Cato has no basketball instincts. He is the best center we have but Hakeem could actually catch a ball, shoot a ball and block a ball. I think managment would trade Hakeem for Cato tomorrow if Toronto would actually make that trade.

 

Cato has missed dunks, but I have never seen him rejected by the rim because he could not elevate any higher than the rim.

Hakeem obviously is much more skilled than Cato. My problem is that Hakeem has not been able to stay healthy for quite a while now. He has had a variety of ailments that tell me it is time for him to hang it up. Cato may or may not develop into a good center. When he was signed it certainly looked like he had the potential to dominate defensively. Hakeem will never get better, he is on the decline. To give him a long term deal, especially in addition to Cato, would tie up a lot of money in the center position with very little return. Right now I would call it a toss up or slightly in Hakeems favor. In two seasons, I am hoping that Cato will be better than Hakeem. I suspect that will be the case.

 

i can't believe anybody is trying to compare Cato to the Dream, Ok i agree Hakeem is not the player he was, he is older and not that good anymore, but i believe The dream should still be in a rockets uniform, He was a great leader, and he can score his own points if someone gives him the ball, Cato needs Francis to give him the ball where he can dunk. Dream is old but still much better than Cato who is overpaid

 

I hope you are kidding. Hakeem blamed the offense here for his lack of production. It's his fault if he was dumb enough to believe that the offense would run through him in Toronto...or any other city.

Eddie Griffin is making up the points/reb/blocks difference that Cato might be lacking in. I think everything has worked out for the better when you compare the teams with and without Olajuwan.

It was sad watching Hakeem get abused by the Clippers Olawakandi (sp) last night. He doesn't even try to block shots...he just stands flat footed with his arms raised.

Btw, Kevin Willis is averaging 7.2 pts and 6.2 rebs per game in limited minutes.

OS

 

I went to Rockets Media Day in 1997-8, i think it was -- maybe 1998-99 -- it was the year before Pippen aka. Year 2 of the Barkley era. Anyway, all the Rockets were loose, joshing, shooting around, talking. Then Hakeem walked in, and it was like a very regal hush fell over the place. The coach-class Rockets all literally lined up and shook his hand, Bullard, Maloney, Harrington, etc. It was like the king had come in. The air was totally different after he arrived. Like the teacher was in the classroom. More so than Rudy.

And that was when Hakeem was still automatic, so it made sense. And while Hakeem was still terrific sometimes last year, he was not automatic.

I wonder how much that sort of thing played into his departure. There is only room for so many kings in a room, and it must have been odd to have a king who you did not / could not rely on to bail you out, either due to injury/weird coaching/whatever. And it must have been weird for him to see his kingdom being taken over by the likes of...Cuttino Mobley -- "some hyperactive second rounder is more clutch than me? screw that!" Easier to go elsewhere, where it was not your kingdom to begin with, so losing the throne is not sop conspicuous and painful.

Yes, Cato sucks. And by the way, I was wrong about the Ford Taurus stuff, at least thus far. But in Cato, you have a guy who does not command much room as a Chef in the kitchen. We pay through the nose, which sucks, but at least he does not command/demand the attention/respect Hakeem did. As far as steering the sensibilities of the ship, he's pretty much nowhere, which I'm sure suits the rest of the team fine. With MoT, Stevie, Cuttino and Mooch and even Walt, this team has a decidedly un-Hakeem personality. One that Fran Blinebury hates, of course, making it that-much-more appealing.

For some fans, the King Hakeem thing was nice, but I think the Rockets could not bear the weight of it anymore. Comparitively speaking, Cato sucks at the sport, true, but he is not this athlete/antique which has the Rockets -- coaches, players, even fans -- walking on eggshells. I miss Hakeem, but something had to give.

I am very sorry he did not get to play with Eddie Griffin, though. That would have been a sight on a good night. Someone who had Hakeem's back as a shotblocker? Oooooh, where was Eddie in 1991? (In, like second grade, I guess.)

CBFC