Being a bball fan first and a Spurs fan second, I have to admit that it will indeed be somewhat disappointing from my perspective to see Olajuwon conclude his career with another team. Definitely one of the top centers of all time, and a gentleman as well. But...being the fan of a team that encountered a similar situation with another longtime franchise center this summer, but apparently took the other route, I do find what is going on rather interesting. While the sentimental choice is to retain the fan favorite and longtime franchise player, the basketball decision is probably the other. But, these older centers can still ball. In a league in which the 7 footer who can walk and chew gum at the same time can get $35 mil over 6 years, shouldn't these guys get paid? It's the tradeoff of the here and now for later. Should Olajuwon leave and Marc Jackson is signed with the cap space that would've gone to him, in the long run that is probably for the best. Though short term it would suck. I definitely wish DRob would've returned at a lower price, but I still have mixed emotions about how much that has hurt the team's future. Anyways, it's sad to see legends in sports finish their careers elsewhere, though it has happened many times before. ------------------ It's a cool site, this clutchcity.net [This message has been edited by MrSpur (edited August 01, 2001).]
Nice post MrSpur, but I don't consider the two situations all that similar. Robinson is younger and better than Olajuwon over the course of a season, and the Spurs were in a much easier situation than the Rockets in regards to accomadating Robinson in his contractual demands as opposed to the bind the Rockets were in with trying to find more money for Hakeem. Unlike the Rockets, whose free agents are integral to the team's future, the Spurs free agents were/are not going to be a part of the team's future ie: Ferry and Porter, and letting them go doesn't hurt in the longterm, or short term for that matter, as they are both players that can be replaced rather easily. ------------------ The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation [This message has been edited by tacoma park legend (edited August 01, 2001).]
Forget PR, you guys should've dumped Robinson and gone for Webber. You could've even kept Derek Anderson and if not, you still owuld've been as agood a team. ------------------
Not being privy to how it all played out, I have no idea how serious of a shot the Spurs had at Webber, had they been willing to lose DRob and concentrate on him. But, the decision not to could very well have hurt the Spurs long term. As we've seen today, some of the projected members of the 2003 free agent class are no longer. That hurts a team like the Spurs who is now looking to revamp the team (hopefully not rebuild) then with major cap space. Oh well, this is not the NBA forum, so I'll just stop here. No matter where Olajuwon is at in his career, it's too bad he can't finish it where he started. ------------------ It's a cool site, this clutchcity.net
I agree with MrSpur, and he makes a great point. Signing David Robinson cost them a chance to rebuild on the fly and still be a contender when they passed up on Webber, and hurt their chances to re-sign Anderson when they went with re-signing a great, but aging player in David Robinson. But they won't feel the effect fully, if ever, because they are contenders NOW! The Rockets are in a different boat. I would be upset with the Rockets doing this if the Rockets were world title contenders, but they're not. Not yet. Re-signing Dream doesn't make us a title contender, and it doesn't help us in the future. It might help us get to the playoffs easier, but it could hold back the rebuilding process if we had to break up pieces of the team to keep Dream happy. THAT was the difference. I'm pretty sure the Rockets would have done everything they could to keep Dream if his contract had ran out during the Big Three era because the Rockets were still contenders. ------------------ What if I say to you that the universe is a three-legged horse, eh? What then? - Russell Hoban
MrSpur- Excellent. Come back anytime. Unless you are like that idiot FRutie. He started out with great OBJECTIVE points but concluded by disrespecting the houseowner. ------------------ Fuggetabout it
Robinson is not better than Hakeem, and that will be borne out (yet again) no matter where Hakeem plays this season. ------------------
