Chronicle: Dream still wants to keep the team together

Doc Feigen sees the board go crazy and he delivers.

 

Why would Rudy T diminish Hakeem's role when they played so well toward the end of the season? I think Hakeem is looking for some kind of guarantee from the staff about his involvement. He wants to be the man, but doesn't realize its time for the youngsters to take over. The Rockets have a slim chance to win a championship in the next 2 years. So why sacrifice the future of Houston for one player who won't make a sacrifice for Houston? His $10 million demand is outrageous. I think it would be fair to sign Hakeem for $5-7 million. Even then it'll make re-signing our existing FAs very difficult.

------------------

 

He doesn't want to be the man. He just doesn't want to be the fourth or fifth option. If Dream wanted to be the man, then he would have never played with Chuck. Chuck played the same role he did. There were times last year when we had bullard in the fourth quarter with Dream on the bench. I like Rudy T as much as the next guy but that was the most bone headed thing I've seen in a long time.

Dream just wants the respect he deserves which is more that alot of members on this board has given him.

------------------

 

Olajuwon doesn't get a guarantee. Period. I love the guy to death but he is 38 years old and has averaged 50 games per season over the past 4 years. The Rockets are not a contending team with or without him.

The only reason Hakeem would return would be to prevent him from retiring somewhere else. This team has to learn how to win on its own. If Olajuwon cannot accept that, he needs to move on and everyone will be better for it.

The problem is that he is asking for probably about $5 million more than he is worth AND asking for guarantees on the role he will play with the team. If he was 32 and playing in 75 games per season, we wouldn't even be having this discussion. He's not.

------------------
How the hell should I know why God would allow the Holocaust. I don't even know how the electric can opener works. - from Hannah and Her Sisters

 

Let's see.

points: 11.9 to 9.6 - advantage Dream
rebs: 7.4 each - a wash
blocks: 1.52 to 1.15 - advantage Dream
minutes played - 2,107 to 1545 - huge advantage Ewing
2001 asking price: 1/2 of a $4.5M exception to $10M - huge advantage Ewing

Perhaps you are suggesting the Rockets pay Olajuwon the same (adjusted to 2001 dollars) salary he was making in 94-95?

I've looked at the numbers and over the last 4 seasons, Dream has averaged 42% of the possible minutes played in a season. David Robinson has played 63% of the minutes available in the same 4 years.

Taking the %'s one step further, Dream plays 67% of the minutes Robinson plays. If DR is worth $10M that makes Dream worth $6.7M. At that price, the Rockets have enough money to sign Mo T and SA or if they do not want/need Shandon there is 3.8M for FA's. (I have allotted 500k for Morris).

Bullard is a Full Bird and Moochie is an Early Bird. Therefore the Rockets can go over the cap to sign them. Dreams contract is not relevant to signing them. The size of Olajuwons contract is very relevant to signing Mo, SA and Terence Morris.

Jeff's evaluation pretty much says it all, but I thought I'd add some stats for those (like me) who enjoy them.


------------------
Raef to Rocks in '01-'02!


[This message has been edited by GATER (edited July 17, 2001).]

 

We need him and there is no viable alternative if we are serious about making progress from last season. If he can contribute in stretches, and I expect Steve to step it up another notch this season, we should still have a good inside out game. Otherwise.... its all up to Franchise.

 

"Bullard is a Full Bird and Moochie is an Early Bird. Therefore the Rockets can go over the cap to sign them. Dreams contract is not relevant to signing them. The size of Olajuwons contract is very relevant to signing Mo, SA and Terence Morris. Jeff's evaluation pretty much says it all...".

Thanks for the facts Gator. It seems to me that Hakeem is talking out of both sides of his mouth. Hakeem says he wants to keep the team together, but his stalling tactics are preventing us from resigning both Maurice Taylor and Shandon Anderson. How long will they wait for us? Dream sure didn't want to keep the team together just 6 months ago WHEN HE WAS DEMANDING A TRADE!! Its very difficult to know for sure, but it really kind of smells like its all about the money!!! Lets make the Dream the very best offer possible, promise him some touches and then sign him if possible. If Dream doesn't want to play here for whatever amount is the best we can offer, then I'm not opposed to renouncing him and moving forward with our other free agent negotations if that is deemed best for the Rocket's team. At least the negotiations have now begun (which is an improvement from the I'm not answering the phone gamesmanship that was going on before).

------------------

 

Quite possibly the most diverse city in America........redneckville?

And this person's vote is worth the same as mine and yours.

Think about it.

------------------
stop posting my damn signature

 

Dream is obviously making his case and negotiating publicly to gain support and put pressure on mgt to capitulate. "If we don't sign him," (aka agree to his demands), then we don't want to keep the team intact. On the other hand, his delaying and demands can do just what he publicly decries, tear the team apart by imperiling negotiations with our other FA's.

He must think we are all really stupid to fall for or believe such a ploy. It's all about him......totally self-serving. There's nothing wrong with getting all you can, but don't be hypocritical and try to lay it on others if you don't get your way!!

Dream is a very proud man. This pride colors his reality about how good he is now, or what he has "brought" over the last several years. He is injury prone, and getting moreso each year...taking him away from team for extended periods of time. And let's be honest, last year he pouted and really didn't play with passion until he decided to do so (once he realized he wasn't going to be traded!). He had some games where he was horrible; no effort, no passion. One against Candyman and the Clips comes to mind-he made Candyman look like Shaq!! And I don't see a lot of other teams coming after him for big $$.

If he comes with the right attitude, and stays relatively injury free, the '01-02 Rockets will definitely be a stronger team with him. But he is NOT as good as he still thinks he is, and I'll be shocked if injuries do not recur. So it boils down to what he is worth, and I hope that he has a reality check soon, 'cause I don't think the Rockets will be held hostage to his unreasonable demands. I wouldn't be surprised to see him moved if they hit a stalemate in negotiations.

 

I don't trust no silly newspaper, I'm goin' with what rockHEAD said

------------------
This space left intentionally blank...

 

"If I fit, I'm available. If not, I'm not going to retire. I'm going to play."

This is what Hakeem said.

From this, the BBS has concluded:

1. Hakeem is making demands on the Rockets
2. Hakeem wants to be "the man"
3. Hakeem is not going to play team ball
4. Hakeem is whining again
5. Hakeem wants a guarantee from the Rockets
6. Hakeem doesn't realize it's the young guys' team
7. Hakeem wants 10 million (oh wait...that came from Vecsey)
8. Hakeem thinks he's better than he is
9. Hakeem is holding the Rockets hostage
10. Hakeem wants to eat Rudy's children (okay, maybe that was another thread)

It's amazing what you can get out of so few words when you really want to.



------------------
"I guess that's YOUR theory"

 

Close. Unless you're planning on giving SA more than early bird (~4.5), or if you're giving Terence Morris more than what the usual 2nd round player gets (league minimum), Dream's money is irrelevant to those 2. The key is Mo. If you can convince him to take the MCE exception, you can sign Dream for whatever you want, up to ~17 mill. I could look at the numbers again, but even if you sign Dream to 10 mill, I believe we'd still be far enough under to give Mo a ~6 mill contract, and Moochie early bird, and lose SA.

I am pleased they're not talking multi-year deals. That should insure ~10 mill in cap space with or without Hakeem for next year, barring no strange deals.

The biggest kicker left is Hakeem's role on the team.

Surprisingly, New York and Orlando used up their exceptions. Let's just hope if he goes, it's not LA. I wouldn't be surprised if he comes asking for a S/T to get his money.

------------------
"I always thought Hakeem was the better offensive player and DRob the better defender." Spurever

Shaq would probably agree.

 

Let me see Freak, Dream demanded a bigger role in the offense, asked to be waived or traded in midseason, is asking for huge money that will tie the Rockets hands in potentially keeping their own and signing other FAs, and etc., etc. It's like the people who think Hakeem can do no wrong won't open their eyes!

------------------
"Instruments are like women: After a while, you want to make love to another."

- Nicolas Godin of the musical duo Air

 

So?

Because he didn't have a role in the offense...

David Robinson, Derek Anderson, Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams, Chris Webber...

it seems like everybody's asking for a lot of money these days. Hakeem Olajuwon is a free agent he's not your decrepit uncle whose diapers you have to change. He gets to ask for whatever money he wants to ask for.

Ahhhh... more of the "my decrepit old uncle crapped on himself again" intuition. Dream is a FA. He's asking for what he sees as his due. As David Robinson said (roughly) "you can play for less for a different team... but when your team offers you less, they're devaluing you". That's DAVID ROBINSON, the poster boy for the NBA.

Or that the board wants to have a soap opera when one doesn't exist.

------------------
Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen...

 

I put all my chips here. RockHead probably did run into Hakeem.

I still believe he hasn't decided. Trying to get more money?

Reports that I have read, say that the market has closed. Houston is the only team that can pay him more than the 4.5 million that he is interested in. Same reports have Derek Anderson and the Spurs in the same boat.

My next post will show you why we should keep Hakeem.

------------------

 

First part of last year, Hakeem sucked.
Starting from 1/24/01, he started to better. Part of this was due the fact that he was included in the offense.

Sporting News article: 1/27/01 Olajuwon's demands quelled for now. Sitting out 12 weeks with a swollen Knee.

Dreams Stats from 1/24 until end of season...
Played in 28 games, missed 12..

PPG. 14.0
BPG. 1.75
RPG. 8.79
SPG. 1.29
MPG. 28.1

This from a 38 year old washed up center?

------------------

 

Forgot, Rockets record from 1/24 until end was 25-16. Doubt me, check it out.

------------------

 

Sorry, he is not interested in the 4.5 million, but from what I have read, his options are limited.

------------------

 

This whole situation seems to be getting out of hand to me. Dream wants this, Rudy said that, etc.

The simple fact is this...Dream wants a lot of money for the next two years and wants to be more than a mere role player for the team. IMO, neither of these goals are realistic (although I'm starting to get a feeling we are going to screw ourselves on the first one).

Dream can only get more than the $4.5 exception from us. It seems to me that the market has determined his value and it certainly isn't $10 million per year, or anything close to it. Dream is 38 and has lost a step. He's injury-prone and, let's face it, a whiner. Don't get me wrong...I love the guy, but I'm not willing to postpone our future for the sake of his ego.

Achebe posted:

David Robinson, Derek Anderson, Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams, Chris Webber...

it seems like everybody's asking for a lot of money these days. Hakeem Olajuwon is a free agent he's not your decrepit uncle whose diapers you have to change. He gets to ask for whatever money he wants to ask for.


DRob, AD, Webber and the rest? DRob is the only one of the bunch that is pushing retirement age and he is certainly playing at a different level than Dream right now. I agree with Achebe that Dream is entitled to ask for whatever he wants. The question, really, is whether we should pay it. All of the guys mentioned above justify a big contract...the fact of the matter is, Dream simply does not.

Everyone knew that when Dream retired (or was gone) that there would be a period of adjustment. You don't lose a player like him and just keep rolling. The question is: do we take our punches now or later?

We have a young, developing team. I think everyone agrees that the future looks bright and that we are only a couple of pieces away from greatness...in a few years. At this point, I would rather allow the young guys to develop and make their mistakes than have them watch us stroke the ego of an aging vetern who obviously isn't that concerned about the team from the bench.

IMO, CD should stare Dream in the face and simply say..."4.5 for one year...take it or leave it." No one else is going to pay him any more because (1) they don't have the money, and (2) he's no longer worth anything else.

------------------
"What did you mean when you opened your mouth and let all our secrets out?"

 

I don't understand the notion that the Rockets could somehow progress in their re-building if Hakeem were out of the way. Is there some young center with great potential on the roster that will be part of the core in a few years?

If Hakeem is holding back Cato's development, then there sure are a lot of people on the bbs who will be eating crow in a few years.

Is there a young promising center the Rockets could trade for if Hakeem were out of the way?

Are the Rockets going hell-bent to sign Marc Jackson, because they think he is the answer. If so, then Crispee is going to be eating crow.

My opinion is that there is not better option than Hakeem, all emotion aside. Last time I checked my math, a 2 year contract is not nearly as long as a 5 or 6 year contract, as some would have us believe.

------------------