CD was on 610 AM this morning from 9:40 to 10:00. Here's some stuff I found interesting from his interview: [*]He said they have been working hard in the war-room, combing over every possible scenario etc. "We're trying really hard to move up because we feel there are some players that could really help us. We were able to do that last year by getting the #2 pick. Obviously, it's tough to do that every year."[not exact quote] My Opinion: It's obvious they want to move up as they have even stated it. However, it's going to be damn near impossible to break the Top-3, IMHO. That Magic offer of Maggette-Doleac-#5-#10 might not even be enough to land the 1st pick. If you look at that deal, those are 4 solid NBA players. I would guess that Maggette is equal to Cuttino Mobley in trade value, while Michael Doleac is better than any frontcourt player that we could offer. He's easily better than Thomas, and more cost-efficient than Cato. The #5 and #10 eclipse our #9. I don't see Vancouver gift-wrapping another franchise player to the Rockets. At this point, our best bet is the Clippers, but is Miles worth the price? [*]"The trade exception has made us very popular. Other teams are coming to us with offers (not necessarily good offers). Right now there are 2 teams with trade exceptions: us and Indiana. Indiana has a $4.2mill exception. We've been getting a lot of calls. You wouldn't imagine some of the stuff teams have come to us with. We could do a whole show on that."[not exact]He also said that the trade exception expired on October 1st, which we already knew. [*]He said the team is very close. Cat, Steve, and Shandon have been working out together. "I don't think Kelvin Cato has missed a day in the weight room since the season ended." My Opinion: On the Cato quote...damn. [*]"You don't realize how hard it is to put a trade together. The Steve Francis trade took 1 and 1/2 months." [*]Carrol also talked about the new luxury tax in the NBA. "Les wants to win. If it takes the money to win, Les will do it. We have alot of freedom as far as our owner goes." My Opinion: I wish Drayton could have heard that. [This message has been edited by thacabbage (edited June 26, 2000).]
Thanx for the scoop Cabbage. I would love to go up and get a franchise player but who do we have to let go. Players that have trade value and I wouldnt mind letting go. CATO THOMAS ROGERS WILLIAMS DREW ------------------ President of the Moochie Norris FAN CLUB
AMERICA....I LOVE THIS COUNTRY! ------------------ In the end there will be no judges...only witnesses to my greatness.
Man, I really hope (but doubt) that Cato comes in next year all ripped up like Theo Ratliff or David Robinson. ------------------ - hoopjunkie "when you come in da HOOD... things change."
thacabbage -- thanks for the great post. Great to read that... I'm surprised the Rockets are so up front about wanting to move up in the draft, though that has been no surprise for a long time. Good to hear about Cato. I would really like to see this guy turn it up because he could be a terror (but lets be honest... that's a ways away and may never happen). Just a center who can take 'oops and be a defensive force will do, and Cato fits that bill, but more often than not he got lost. Who else can not wait until Draft night? ------------------ NOTHING BUT .NET CLUTCHCITY.NET
Mango ------------------ Eat more spinach! Live long and prosper! Donate blood! Smeg will be assimilated. Now...back to updating The Serious Police Files.
Clutch, Don't knock the ability to catch alley-oops. It's the perfect role for the defensive minded (though reboundingly challenged) center. Rasheed Wallace can't catch alley-oops consistently. ------------------ get it Tag, get it! - a Jazzhole asking Greg Ostertag to rebound the ball.
Another possible piece of spin: persistent rumblings out of the Rockets' camp saying how hard Cato has been working this offseason. Could this be a way of increasing his trade value prior to Draft Day? After all, Cato is seven feet tall. ------------------
Carrol also mentioned not wanting to disrupt the chemistry this team has built. I can't remember, but he said that they would have to be careful in any manuevering they made because of the great chemistry this core has built. Francis3: The Rockets main bait is Mobley/#9/Cato. I would hope they do not deal Mobley (in a sign-trade). IMO, Francis/Mobley/Anderson/Norris is the best 4-man backcourt in the league. At this point, I am against trading Cato. There is too much of a possibility that he will return to preseason form; exactly what this team needs. I don't see much trade value in Kenny Thomas unless he is packaged along with Cato. IMO, Walt Williams is more like a Derek Bell, if you will. Not trade bait, rather, "if we're gonna give you Cato, you have to take Walt off our hands." Except for the Clippers...that's the only team I could see taking Walt. They need guaranteed contracts. Rogers is a free agent, and Bryce Drew might net you a 2nd round pick, if you're lucky. Last I heard, the Rockets were discussing a Drew for Eldridge Recasner swap last season. That of course is history. hoopjunkie: There's nothing I want more on this team than a Theo Ratliff clone. Clutch: I too find that very odd. Every interview with Rudy/CD that I've heard has included snippets of "well, we're trying to move up, but it's gonna be tough." or "there are some guys that we really like that are out of our reach." What is up with that? As for Cato, I don't think he'll ever become a dominant post player. He just doesn't have the God given agility and footwork to operate down there. That's ok with me. I would be ecstatic if he focused on being a defensive terror and waited under the hoop to catch alleyoops. Oeilpere: I don't like the idea of trading for another medium range draft choice. Except for the Top-3, this is a very thin draft. DerMarr I am starting to like, but after him, who is worth taking with the second pick? Rudy and Dennis Lindsey will be on the air later today. 'Will try and get those too.
ThaCabbage: It's great to see you posting more again. I missed your quality posts there for awhile. You know, the E F Hutton thing... Actually, this draft is very deep with good players, but shallow in great ones, and no superstars. I'd love to get later first round or even early second picks to pick up some good players. I agree that the potential great players are very thin in this draft. The only great players seem to be Martin, Swift and Miles, and potentially Fiser, Miller, Johnson and Alexander, maybe Crawford and Stephenson. After that it's all role players. But we could use a couple of them for depth and future trade material. Usually there isn't much left in the first round, but the late first round and early second round, this year, is like middle first round usually is. If we got the #10, and Miller and Johnson were on the board, then I'd grab them both, both potentially great players. If somehow Prysbilla was still there, I'd take him and trade him to Portland. But if only one was there, I'd trade it to someone who needs a top guard for a couple later picks, such as Chicago or LAC, where we might be able to grab N'Diaye, Collier, Stephenson, Porter, Brown, Samake, Rush, Mattola, Mickeal, etc. Even better, I'd trade it to Washington for their pick next year. Or, trade it to Portland for Grant or to Indiana for Croshere. I'm getting way too into this stuff ... ------------------ the more I know, the more I know I don't know...
Wrath: That struck me too. What bewtter way to shop your talent, than by boosting his improvement and his "new attitude" and work ethic. The very things that would make some teams back away from him. I would not put it past CD and the crew. Cab: But, the #9 and another mid range may conceivably net you DerMarr Johnson and Moiso. Or, as I have heard through the grapevine, the LAC #18 being traded to the Rockets to get Carrawell(a very underated SF) to go along with Moiso. The fact is that we have holes and they must be filled somehow. In Free Agency,the only guys worth going after will be more than the $4.+Million, so we will indeed have to unload someone to move along to fill the hole and to use the exception. Remember: Sign and trades can use the exception, but the sign and trade cannot involve more than one other player. Who do we trade along with $4.5Million, that we wouldn't mind using now to secure a higher drafting? If that is the case, why don't they just trade them now? I am just saying that to me another midrange first rounder may be the lesser of two evils. ------------------
Why do I feel like I've "arrived" after appearing in an Oeilpere post? Seriously, though, if CD and the brain trust think the best thing for the Rockets to do is to keep Cato, then let's keep him. But there is a risk involved. Right now his trade value is higher than it has been his entire career. If he comes out next year and tanks it again, his value will have nowhere to go but down. Sure, there will always be a market for an athletic seven footer (it's not like he's a Matt Maloney), but he might not be able to be the centerpiece of a package to net (no pun intended) a top 5 pick like he appears to be now. A window could be closing here ... But if he fulfills his true potential, he'll be better than anything we could have landed at the number 9 slot, and we'll be damn glad about the "Cato trade we never made." ------------------
Interview with Dennis Lindsey [these are exact quotes] Some interesting tidbits.. [*]"...I just got off the phone so we're burnin up the lines, and listening to what people have to say. I think this is a strong draft and alot of people want the 9th pick, and we're just looking at every possible situation, you've gotta write down every scenario possible. So we're just doing a lot of listening, and alot evaluation of guys who are in our pool." [*]"...we're hearing alot of rumors. Obviously with NJ, everybody wants that first pick. I think some people are divided whether its Kenyon Martin or Stromile Swift, so they're listening...." [*]"The draft as a whole, its a deep draft, and deep meaning, from 20-40, you can get a very good player, and usually around 27-28, that's not the case, so alot of these second round picks are valued commodities. People are trying to move around to get those picks because you might be able to get a starter or a rotation guy with a 2nd round pick. Of course it's not as much money, and it's not a guaranteed contract, so teams are really looking in that area." [WOW! that's a shocker...second round picks?] [*]"We had Mo Peterson in and he was terrific, he was really good. One of his better workouts. We had heard a little information that Morris hadn't worked out as well in some other places because he took too many visits too soon. You know, you get all that travel, and your back locks up and things can happen. He's an outstanding prospect and a good person....a type of player we would equate in the Michael Dickerson mold, and we think alot of Michael Dickerson." [*]"Most people compare [Darius Miles] to Tracy McGrady. He's a terrific weak side shotblocker, a very good rebounder. He can rebound the ball and go coast to coast, like Magic Johnson used to do. Just a really talented guy, not the best of shooters, but he's 18-19 years old, so with his type of athletic ability, people are comparing him to Tracy McGrady and that's the worst case scenario. Some people are comparing him to Kevin Garnett, and that's a little bit of a stretch but you can kinda see where he would fit somewhere between a Garnett and a McGrady." [*]"Well, he[Oyedeji] has a position, unlike a lot young kids that come in at 19-20 years old, there body needs development....this kid's 6'9 in his bare feet, 6'10 with shoes, 245 lbs. He's a terrific specimen. So just from physicality standpoint, he can get on the court a little bit. He's a really good rebounder, he's a good shotblocker. His offense needs help. But, he's going to be OK." [*]"Specifically about tape, its tough to know a guy's true size, to see the quickness, although guys who are outstandingly quick keep showing up on tape to be able to get by guys. Though, I would say to measure true size can be deceiving on tape." [*]"I think in regards to tape work, we'll watch alot of tape in pressure situations, meaning NCAA tournaments. Because different guys have different types of nervous systems. Some guys can play in the first 38 minutes of the game and can't play in the last 2, and you want to know that, and again its part of the process. Obviously Jordan had that type of ability to where everyone in the arena knew the ball was going to Michael, but he could still make the play. That's special. Sometimes that really has to do with more their nervous system, than their skill level." [*]High school coaches, counselors, relatives, how the player acted with officials etc. all play a part in their decision making.
"The trade exception has made us very popular. Other teams are coming to us with offers (not necessarily good offers). Right now there are 2 teams with trade exceptions: us and Indiana. Indiana has a $4.2mill exception. We've been getting a lot of calls. You wouldn't imagine some of the stuff teams have come to us with. We could do a whole show on that."[not exact]He also said that the trade exception expired on October 1st, which we already knew. What's good that comes out of that, is that communcation lines are open. Team A could suggest a trade, then the Rockets can say, "what about if we..?" starting off talks. Is anyone else starting to get the feeling that the pick will be traded? ------------------ The more lefties on your team, the better. Draft Moiso. Trade Moises. Trade or bench Kenny Thomas.
ok ive heard of bi-id, but can u say tri-id? <marquee><h3>POPEYE/OELPERE/THE CABBAGE</h3></marquee> im just playin, good job cab. is it just me or would this team benefit if there was no 3 sec rules, and cato could hang around in the paint all day? other than that, i agree that this is completely uncharacteristic of the organization in that they are revealing some sort of info. hopefully, im wrong, and they're on their toes and get this team that ring in dreams last year. ONCE again, those are my dreams. ------------------ Chugga, Chugga, Chugga, WOO WOO!!!! [This message has been edited by the-a-train (edited June 26, 2000).]
On Cato... I think he needed to spend more time in a psychiatrists office than a weight room this offseason. I don't see how him being any stronger would help his "mental dwarfism" problem. I had seen small signs of Cato being a head case, but I was totally convinced in the Laker game when Barkley body slammed Shaq. After the melee, Cato got up off the bench to check in for Chuck, but Rudy put in Carlos (I think) instead. Cato's body language spoke volumes. He went to the very end of the bench and just sat there sulking with his head in his hands and covered with a towel. He sat in that position until half time and was the last person to walk off the court. When he came out for the second half, he returned to the end of the bench and continued to sulk for most of the 3rd quarter. From that point on, I kept a close eye on Cato and his mental state. I wasn't happy with what I saw for most of the rest of the season. Now, if he slips and hits his head and becomes "Bizarro Cato", then I would be more apt to give him a second chance. But, if things stay the way they were, I can't wait for Kelvin to be in a uniform other than the Rocket PJs. ------------------ I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem. DREAMer's Rocket Page
If the price of moving up to #3 cost something along the lines of KT/Drew/Williams/9th pick etc. then I would be interested in that. However, if the deal involves Kelvin Cato, I dont think its in the Rockets best interest. Darius Miles is a better talent than DerMarr Johnson but not enough to sell the farm for. I would be very content sitting at 9th and taking what is available. If the Rockets could move into the top 2, that would be a different story. That is even more unlikely though. ------------------ Check out the Best Source for Draft Info Draftsource.net
Clutch, that's my exact thought. Last year, we did not hear a beep about moving up to get (trading for) Francis (unless we count the Mall Rat, and we didn't believe him at the time), why do we hear it now in every (it seems like) interviews that the Rocket personnel do. It would seem that it will not give us much bargaining power (not that we have much in the 1st place) to let those teams know that we are so desperate. Are the Rockets using this as a smoke screen for something else? Or am I looking for something that is not there. ------------------ Henry McGee (Movie Critic) : I love the way you use black & white film to show the emotion of the characters during that last scene. Benny Hill (Director) : We use black & white film because we were out of color film.
Thnx Cab. Great scoop. CD is spinning a little here, isn't he? He loves to use the media properly, and not as what Pat Riley calls the "peripheral opponent". My take on reading it was: 1. Nothing really new mentioned in the broadcast, although it is great having our "trader midwife"[/b] (that's my phrase, I want copywrites to it!!!) confirming what everyone here knows or suspects. 2. With all the things that must be going on this last couple of days before the draft, we have CD on a radio talk show talking options? Great last minute timing, CD is letting all comers know that he is still willing to trade and open to offers, even complicated ones. 3. The core of Shandon/Francis/Mobley will be together next year. Duh!!! Well as a nefarious poster once said ...."Mobley will be ...", well don't get me quoting long lost posters ..... anyway, no surprise here about these three.(Note: Mooch is in the NorthEast and is working out diligenty also.) I still say CD/RT/Larry/Jim/Lindsey/ and company would be just as pleased to get a second (#10 or less) pick without hurting themselves much. That is a doable task. Even if they were to acquire a high pick .... if it did not net them Swift, they would be more than willing to trade that #3 straight up for two between #3 and # 15. IMHO anyway. ------------------
