the rockets should have known better than i did, and traded dream.

If the Rockets had traded Hakeem, then there's a real chance they wouldn't have Francis. A three rookie team... I doubt it. I'll take Francis over Jonathan Bender.

 

I believe that I see Hakeem's lack of true desire, and why not....He has established his legacy in Houston sports, and in my opinion NBA History, and he is getting paid the big money to make his retirement very lavish. Here's the deal...this is not Dream's team...it's Charles, and he is not going out like a chump. I really like what I am starting to see from these guys. They are all finding out what their roles are. The injuries have allowed them to. Cato and Thomas are stepping up in the front court, and Drew and Shandon are producing very well. Dream can still play the damn game, and a winning attitude is contagious. I think Dream will be perfectly content to accept any role that he can fill on this team. I personally think Hakeem needs to concentrate on D and rebounding. As far as his offense goes he just needs to pull his game outside to the free throw line extended. He can bang the 15-18 footer and he can put the ball on the floor against most big men to get his own shot. I want to see the continued growth of this young team under Charles guidance and I wanna see Hakeem come back and just help em win

 

Achebe -

Looks like I misunderstood you a little. My mistake. Thanks for explaining yourself and not taking my bait. I have expressed my feelings to death on the Hakeem situation in other threads months ago. I just don't think I've got the energy to rehash all that right now.

TDS:

"Question for the Freak...So are you saying that if in 94 Hakeem was traded to the Suns you wouldn't be following the Suns????"

Why would I do that, I'm a Rockets fan, not an Hakeem fan. I don't follow the Bucks since they got Cassell, or the Spurs because they've got Elie. I stick with the team, not a certain player. Hakeem might be one of my favorite Rockets ever, and I would always like him, but that doesn't mean I would root for whatever team he was on or follow that team. That was my whole point - I didn't expect someone who became a fan in '96 to fully understand the attachment b/t Hakeem and the city that began when he was at UH.

 

I think I would still start Hakeem once he got back. Two things that must happen.:

*Rudy must sit down with Hakeem and make him aware of his new role on offense. They have to get this into his head. Trust me, once someone does that, Hakeem will understand. He is not an ego-maniac like Patrick Ewing. Dream is a very intelligent, understanding person, and I am sure he will understand the situation. Someone just needs to tell him. Right now, what is happening is he just doesnt know. It's not that he wants to still be THE MAN and slow things down, he just thinks that that is the only way things can be done.

*Play Hakeem only about 20 minutes a game. I can't begin to stress this enough. We have Hakeem for another season after this, we can't afford to wear him out this early on. We have a great bench of youngsters, and I would like to see them get the bulk of the minutes. Hakeem needs to come in and play 20 minutes of solid defense, and hit the open jumper. We need this guy fresh, let him rest his knees on the bench.

[NOTE: I am also in favor of drastically reducing Charles' minutes. Every time he gets on the court, I get scared he is going to aggrevate some muscle. He should be playing less, but this being his last year, I doubt he will allow it.]

Dream still has a lot of skill left in him, and if someone preaches the new role to him, we could become a deadly team. We are not a better team without Hakeem. We are just a better team when Hakeem doesn't post up.