Greetings Rocket fans! I'm an Indiana Pacer fan, but I've been reading your board for the last couple months. I don't remember who, but someone came on the Pacer forum with some funny material from here so I checked out it's source. I'm quite proud of our forum, but I believe you have us beat in that you seem to have twice as many knowledgeable posters. Very good site here! As for my question, I was expecting you guys to address it, but no one has. I'll set up the back ground first by restating what everyone already knows. In Peter Vacsey's column today he said Houston had accepted a sign-and-trade deal that would have sent Hakeem to Toronto, in exchange for a No. 1 draft pick, but the deal has been put on hold as Olajuwon is having second thoughts about leaving Houston. In the deal, the Raptors are prepared to give Olajuwon a three-year guarantee starting at that $5.1 million in a total package worth $17.2 million. The Pacers were offering $7-8 million a season in a complicated three-team deal that had Austin Croshere headed to Boston with the Rockets getting Vitali Potapenko back from the Celtics, possibly with Sam Perkins attached to the deal. The reason given for Hakeem backing out of the trade were said to be because of his ties to Houston. Could be, but the first thing that struck me was the difference in money in the two trades mentioned, (17.2 million from the Raptors, and 21-24 million from the Pacers) and the fact that Austin Croshere and Hakeem have the same agent, so naturally Hakeem would have found out the Pacer's offer was much better for him than the one Houston agreed to. I understand why Houston accepted the Raptors offer, but could the real reason Hakeem nixed the trade be because he thought he was losing several million dollars? It does seem to be about the money with Hakeem. So why do you think he backed out, ties to Houston, or difference in money? Or could it be both? Will ------------------ Live, Love, Laugh, and be Happy!
The thing that doesn't make sense in the Croshere scenario, is that Potapenko is an overpaid, underachieving center, on a long deal. I'm sure the Rockets would rather give the money to Dream than Potapenko. Potapenko has 4 years at around 22 mill left on his deal. Would rather save the cap space letting Dream walk than take Potapenko. People say it's a 2 horse race, but I see the Pacers as a serious possibility. Croshere is a Fegan client, and I think between Rose, Bender, Harrington, and Tinsley, they have a couple more as well. My question for you as a Pacer fan: In a sign and trade scenario, would Harrington or Bender be untouchable? ------------------ "Larry Johnson, who spent the last 48 hours railing against the world, what a pathetic performance by this sad human being." -The one and only Bill Walton
Getting Potapenko would be even more stupid than trading for Rice. I'm afraid the Pacers don't really have anything we could use besides J. O'neal, even though we may have been in the hunt for Croshere in the past. Unless you guys can find a taker for Croshere that can send a 5 our way (LaFrentz springs to mind) you have no hope of landing Hakeem whatsoever. Answering your question, yes, pride plays a big role in this mess. Hakeem has been known to behave like a spoiled brat that wants attention and appreciation from his parents in the past, and that may be the case once again. I guess we'll only know for sure if he just wants to be appreciated in an almost child-like manner or if he is just a greedy old fart when the dust settles. ------------------ Just ship Cato's ass outta town. Plain and simple.
Walsh earlier in the year stated the Pacer babies (Harrington, Bender, and O'neal) were not going anywhere. I keep hearing O'Neal and Bender are pretty much untouchable. The Pacer brass know they have something in O'Neal and seem convinced they have something in Bender too. However, Harrington's name keeps popping up in trade rumor's. Would the Pacer's give up Harrington to land Hakeem? Don't know! ------------------ Live, Love, Laugh, and be Happy!
You could be right about Hakeem's reason for halting the S&T but I agree with NIKEstrad that the Rockets would/should rather let him walk than get those players/contracts in return. Either way,Hakeem(Fegan) loses on the extra cash. Geez Dream what'd you have to hire THIS guy for anyway? What kind of crap is he feeding into your head? ------------------
This is my first time ever posting anything onto the forum, but I feel that I had to say something about the Dream situation. I have nothing but respect for the Dream and his wishes, but that respect obviously goes one way. He spent the majority of his highest paying seasons (1999-2001) either on the injured list, stirring up unnecessary controversy regarding trades and unhappiness over lack of playing time or his role on the team, or being a shell of his former self on the basketball court and costing the Rox a couple of games. Why? Pride...the same pride that drove the Rockets to 2 NBA championships. The same pride that allowed him to become one of the most offensively/defensively explosive post players in the history of the game (Bill Russell placed him in his top 50 All-NBA starting five). The same pride that made him the greatest player in team (and arguably the city's) history and the same pride that graciously excepted the 5 year, 55 million dollar contract. No one questions his pride or his drive to become a winner once again. One might question his loyalty to the same organization that issued a 3 year deal to a fading star. In fact, I believe that he considered this deal "...a slap in the face." If he thinks that was a slap in the face, then what would he consider...I don't know...a mid-season trade? A role off the bench for vastly limited playing time or maybe even getting waived? These things and more are likely to happen on a team that has not received the best of Hakeem, nor has the patience to wait for hime to regain even a glimpse of it. Do you honestly think that Toronto is going to sign and keep 4 role players (Alvin Williams, Jerome Williams, Antonio Davis and...possibly...Hakeem Olajuwon) to multi-year deals with Vince Carter's impending free agency staring them in the face next summer? Or that Indiana sees anything more than a tutor for the up and coming Jermaine O'Neal? Or that New York wants anything more than a pacifier for the oft unhappy, dammit-I'm-not-a-center Marcus Camby? Dan Fegan really pisses me off. Didn't he pull the same thing with Shandon Anderson and Utah a couple of years back? Sure Utah sucks, but still. I don't think Hakeem's pride is as dominant as I thought, if he won't even show that he is still for real to the team and city that loved him for 20 + years. Seventeen years of millions and he is still going for the highest dollar? To say that I'm a little disappointed would be an understatement. People say that they will love the dream no matter what, but I am not going to be one of them. To go through the constant ticket price rise and the inability to make the playoffs is something that I am willing to go through for the team that I love (any real fan would). For the team's icon to demand ridiculous amounts of money after 2 career(low) years in every major statistic and give an ultimatum to the same fans that have defended his honor and backed his decision for playing a couple more seasons in every home, class, barber shop (I don't know if they talk about that in beauty shops), airport, magazine and radio station around the country because he doesn't feel respected?!? That, my dear Dream, is a slap in the face!! ------------------ Can I get a #3 w/ a Large Dream Shake, please?
