1. Assuming the Rockets and all are pleased with Cato's dedication in the offseason and on through the preseason AND... 2. Assuming Dream is healthy enough able to play... Who starts? How are minutes divided? Do both Dream and Cato see time at the 4? What about Kenny and possibly Moiso's minutes? Obviously there are other factors, such as who is acquired via the draft and free agency at the 4, possibly 5 spot. But if Cato is in the future for the Rockets, surely he needs more than 25 MPG to continue his maturation. ------------------
TB: I think they (assuming Dream can breath and Cato actually runs the court) will both get 30 minutes a game and yeah I can see both of them playing at the same time. I doubt if Cato will start. Especially if this is Dream's last year then he will start, and I would assume KT will start at the 4. I think that still leaves about 36 minutes at PF for KT and/or T-mass, as well as KT being able to play the SF as well. ------------------
KT may be able to play the 3 on offense (and I stress MAY), but let's picture him guarding Grant Hill....ok, now Jamal Mashburn, now Tracy McGrady and Jalen Rose, heck, even try Scottie Pippen. They'd all rip him to shreds. He's too slow. Sam Perkins plays center because he's the right size and ability. He has 3 point range too, I sincerely doubt the Pacers would churn out a lineup card of Smits-Davis-Perkins. ------------------ The more lefties on your team, the better.
I would rather have the Catomic Bomb start. I feel he can run better with this young team. ------------------ I AM SPARTACUS
Good point Dean. Maybe we'll early sub Hakeem so Catomic can run with the young people. ------------------ treasurer of the moochie norris fan club
it's likely Hakeem will start, but only in name. Cato should get the lion's portion of minutes unless the good Hakeem, minus health problems is back. ------------------ The more lefties on your team, the better.
I can't imagine having Dream on his farewell tour being praised before the game and then hearing the PA announcer say: And at Center for the Rockets - Kelvin "I'm rich & lazy" Cato. Of course if Dream decides to play another year that would change but just as Dream has earned some things from the tream (not being traded, respect) he has also earned the right to start in his final season. ------------------
I'd love to see them both start, with Cato at PF (you can't make the veteran change positions). Can you imagine the shot-blocking? Later, you can sub in KT or Massenburg for Dream, with Cato moving to center. ------------------ http://www.gaffordstudios.cjb.net/
Agree. They both should and likely will start. If we are going to start Hakeem we need to increase our althelticism at every position so that we can best utlizize Francis. That means Cato starts. Added bonus. Hakeem can play more like Rik Smits and move towards the foul line for pick and roll. ------------------ humble, but hungry.
I agree. Start the team off big in the front court. I'd have the two of them (Hakeem & Cato) playing a lot of minutes. If Hakeem is healthy, we'd have something like what the other contenders in the west have. Two 7 footers (or close to it 6'10", 6'11") starting. Portland has Sabonis & Wallace. San Antonio has Robinson and Duncan. LA has Shaq and Horry. Sacramento has Webber and Divac. We need two large guys starting. Ours might not be as talented now as the other 4/5 combo's, but ours can block shots just as good as any of them. ------------------ He who stands for nothing will fall for anything.
Cato and Dream will never start alongside each other. Rudy T. said they tried it during the preseason and weren't happy with the results. He said that the other team's power forward's/center's were getting many open jumpshots because Cato and Hakeem both have that mentality to stay back and protect the basket. I personally think it would be a good idea to start them together, but that's what the man said.
As Cabbagepatch said, Cato and Hakeem won't be playing alongside each other, so you can pretty much forget that. Hakeem will prolly start and after a few minutes, Cato will come in. It would be nice for Cato to run alongside the starting lineup, and he prolly will becuz I doubt Hakeem will be in the game a whole lot. But EVEN if Hakeem stays in the game for a while, and Cato comes in with our second unit, it wont be too bad. Our second unit is also a running team, especially with the Mooch at the point. ------------------ treasurer of the moochie norris fan club
uve gotta point cabbage/snowman, but i think that if cato improves his all around game, he will become better at playing man to man coverage. and if they both start, y cant they just decide that the 5 will stay back to block? and if it does come down to cato off the bench can u say THE CAT??? that might actually be benefical to the second team cuz u got cat, and mooooooooochie, and other runners. as long as u dont get dream too mixed up with the runners, i think u can make both dream and kelvin inclined to have positive seasons. brilliant idea: let the moooch play with the franchize. its small, but thats what i call a BACKCOURT! ------------------ Chugga, Chugga, Chugga, WOO WOO!!!!
For me, the best case scenario would be Hakeem staring and splitng time with Cato. lets face it, both guys will probably be injured a lots next year, so we won't be able to expect a lot of minutes from either one. With the sort of offense we're running, speed is an imperitive. Getting down the court matters. We can' have two 7-ft's on the court at once. It may be good defensivly, but offensivly, it would slow the fast break. ------------------ G
I want Cato to play as much as possible. I want to see how Dream feels before I know how many minutes I think he should play, ------------------
I think it depends on our situation. We need a backup center. If we somehow landed Brad Miller or Jahidi White, etc. I wouldn't mind starting both Hakeem and Cato. If we don't get one of them, Cato needs to be our backup center. I'd much rather start Cato than KT, but I'd much rather have Cato coming off the bench as our #1 big man backup than have KT be that person, with Pig Miller being #2. ------------------ The more lefties on your team, the better. Trade or bench Kenny Thomas.
Cato has to be prepared to get the bulk of the minutes this year. It is all but in stone that he will start & be expected to perform. No one in the market is going to come to the Rockets to compete with Cato for a starting job for less cash & the Rockets would be insane to sign a 3rd Center to big money the year before Dream gives it up. As for the minutes even if Dream is prepared to play at full throttle again he would be hard pressed to get better minutes compared to Cato less injury.... I still think Cato is the answer in the middle. If he takes it one more level his critics will be fine with him & if he gets it to two his critics will be fans. ------------------
