Hakeem clearly implies he'll play elsewhere next year

1. I find it extremely disheartening that Hakeem and the Rockets are at odds as to the direction of the team.

First(To Hakeem), it should be no surprise that the team is heading in this fast-paced backcourt driven style. I mean, with all due respect Hakeem, look at the acquisitions and signings. You were only peripherally considered because they did not know if you would even play again. But more importantly, the future of the team is with the kids. Sorry, but the prospect of playing and NOT being the center of the action is difficult. But it should NOT be a surprise to you, Hakeem.

Secondly(to Rudy), if Hakeem is going to be on the roster, then surely throwing in more than two post plays a game cannot be so difficult. I mean, try only two iso's for Mobes per game and listen if you don't hear some griping. You have to "feed your lions with the same meat", RT. Complaining? Making noises? From you longtime friend and supoerstar? It should NOT be a surprise to you,RT.

2. How would anyone here feel if they were as talented as Hakeem is, (and he is still very talented, make no mistake) and you see aging superstars like Ewing and Kemp being pursued for trades and sent to situations where they each were invited to wholly participate in the productive function of their respective teams. They both are NOT doing very well because of their own physical limitations, but the point is, both teams drew up game plans that immersed each into the offensive and defensive sets. Hakeem thinks: why can't I get that here? I could be on another team and be contributing more! He sees himself as more taleneted than both of these guys. So do I.


3. If (that is a big IF) ...... Hakeem were traded, stop all this talk that CD would have difficulty finding a comfortable trade deal for him. That we would not get our worth (or close to it) for him leaving. He would be pursued and sought with vigor. That is being done now. There are very few teams out there who would not benefit from his veteran experience(leadership), talent( respect), persona (marketing ability) or cap friendly (last year of a big contract) attributes.


4. I do not buy all this bull about Hakeem being loyal/diloyal to whoever and the Rockets being loyal/disloyal or what have you. This is a business. Plain and simple. Both the Rockets and Hakeem are in a transition period were both have benefited from 16 years of mutual understanding and commitment. That understanding may be wavering a little now, but it is not the FAULT of one particular entity over another. Let's not fall for this finger pointing rteaction just yet.

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Just a quick thought, as i am at work:

What about Hakeem for Mutumbo? Shots wouldn´t be a problem for him, and we would get the rebounding and shot blocking we sorely lack.

If Mutumbo does not fit, we STILL have the capspace available next year, and a sign and trade could fetch us something quite intersting if Mo and Shandon fail to live up to our expectations.

Add a few players, say Wiz, KT and maybe Wright, and it could work.

What do you guys think?

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"I have posted so much that what I say must be true"

 

If I'm Rudy, I don't change a thing with Hakeem. Dream-baby, you are getting enough low posts considering the minutes. Plenty! What? Tell me what I'm missing. We are trying to install an offense of spreading the ball around, compared to the Dream years. If Dream is complaining, he is complaining about his inability to play the high post in motion.

If I'm CD, I would not trade him! He's worth more to us as a renounced free agent than in a trade.

 

I agree with those that feel that Hakeem needs to get a few more shots a game. I think he still has the ability to score 15 points a game or so, if given the opportunity.

However, I fear that if RT gives Dream more shot attempts now, it will send a very wrong message to the younger players who are fighting for touches themselves. Cuttino will be in Rudy's ear every night.

We simply don't need to set that kind of precedence.

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She hates testicles, thus limiting the men she can admire to Democratic
candidates for president.
-- John Greenway, "The American Tradition", on feminist
Elizabeth Gould Davis

 

I agreed with everything you said but this. You cannot compare Kemp and Ewing's situations to Olajuwon because Kemp and Ewing are both on veteran teams who consider themselves title contenders or at least playoff-bound teams.

This is a VERY young team that, despite our best wishes, is still not a real playoff team. It will be a couple of years before that happens and Olajuwon should be able to realize that.

It would be one thing if your team featured Pippen, Davis, Stoudamire, Smith, et al or Baker, Payton, etc. etc.

If the Rockets average age (minus Hakeem) was 30, then I could understand the frustration. But, he knew coming in that this team was full of youngsters and the Rockets had no choice but to prepare for the future right now.


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Mmmmmmm. Sacrelicious.

 

Thank you!!

I thought I was going to get through this whole thread without someone that actually saw and heard his comments. He was laughing after saying that he would be a year older and should produce more. It was a joke people!!

As for his other comments about wanting the ball more, I agree. We have no low post presense and the defense against our guards is just going to get worse as long as we have no low post game. Hakeem has the best FG% and is showing more hustle in the paint than anyone aside from KT(Junkyard Dog 2?). Anyway, if anyone knows what it takes to win, it's Hakeem because he's been there and he has done it. Can you blame him for wanting to be involved since he knows he can still give alot to the team concept? I don't!

I think his point is that the way the Rockets are currently playing, there is no chance now or even in the near future that they will be a contender without someone in the middle to make the defenses honest. He knows that he can't and doesn't have to cary the burden like in years past, but he also knows that he must be a factor if this team is going to be a force to deal with.

If Hakeem wants more than 6-8 shots a game, give it to him!!



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Five to one baby, one and five...no one here gets, out alive.

 

When my wife and I were choosing a name for our son months ago, I jokingly nominated John McCain Hirschfield Saletan and Hakeem Olajuwon Hirschfield Saletan. My wife rejected both.

Now I'm relieved she did.

I have a message for the greatest player in the history of this franchise. For three years, we've asked more from you than you could deliver and paid you more than you were worth. We didn't trade you when we could have gotten something for you. We did all that because of the greatness you brought our city. We did it to honor and protect your legacy. If you want to trash that legacy, we can't stop you. But you'll be the one to do it, not us. You want out? The door's that way.

[This message has been edited by Will (edited December 05, 2000).]

 

Dream still has the heart of a champion. He may be frustrated with the Rockets offense, but he still burns with desire.

This is good news.

"I'm enjoying this style, but you can't go away from the post completely," he said. "That's not winning basketball. If you don't use it this year, then that's motivation for next year to get someone (else) to use it."

 

"I am one of the 50 greatest players of all time. They are not working me into the offense. I get paid a rediculous amount of money. The other players on this team can't win. Boo hoo hoo."

These sentiments should sound familiar. They are the same things that we all bashed Quitten for last year. Now when Hakeem does it the line is "It is not disrespectful to say that you want to do what is best for the team." Dream is not even doing that. He wants to go help another team next year, thereby hurting the Rockets. Hakeem led the Rox to two championships, but his time was then. All good things must come to an end.

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Don't come in Bullard's house!

 

Hey Rockeem...who the hell is "you all"? At least clarify who you think went from loving to hating Dream. That is weak, man. You could be referring to all of the forum members of this board in which case we are ready to put you in the middle of the circle and stone you to death.

A lot of us in this thread think Dream should get more touches and play in crunch time. A lot of us don't want Dream traded any more than we would trade our own family members for another. Dream is still the man...if he wants some more touches and crunch time PT, then give it to him.

As for those who asked, "Did you see Dream make those comments?". Well...most of us don't have the luxury of living in Houston watching Dream smile or giggle when he gives a TV interview so "NO" we didn't see that. How could we? If Dream wants more post-up plays and crunch time, then give it to him. Almost everyone agrees that taking a few ISO plays away from ball hog Mobes to accomodate Dream is no big deal...even if it does rub Mobes the wrong way.

Dream is a whiner...we know that. But, to say anyone goes from loving to hating Dream is utter nonsense.

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Will and Rockeem,

Wish you would have seen the interview...in the locker room, with plenty of snickering. And by the way, it took him really long to speak those words, like he was making it up for the interviewer. From seeing Dream speak, I really think it is blown out of proportion as Pimp says.

If he is unhappy and does want another year, he knows we aren't going Retro-offense for him, and he knows he has the Will to find the door.

There is no loyal/disloyal going on in his statements or in any responses by the org. Will and Jeff might have suggested otherwise, but Rockeem, you are now going even further out of bounds.

 

Clutch,

And he said those words from his heart. I saw those as well. And his earlie quotes from the airplane seemed like a way to stop any plans for embarrassing retirement tours. We didn't get to hear the plane quotes. But, these new ones are spoken in a contrived manner, imo.

I really think something else is up. I've listened to Hakeem for too many years to honestly believe he will play with another team unless Rudy, CD and Dream are floating trial balloons, looking for a trade, as a final "sacrifice" for Houston by the best ever.

Still, the best trade is no trade. Take the salary cap windfall. This just doesn't make sense.

[This message has been edited by heypartner (edited December 05, 2000).]

 

I agree that the salary cap windfall is the easiest and perhaps the best solution, but what do you see as tempting next year that the Rockets could sign. Is the salary cap money useful? I was just wondering because it didn't seem to do Chicago any good.

I want Hakeem to retire in Houston because he has meant so much to the organization, but should Houston make a trade if the right deal presented itself.

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Little O

 

cap room is always good. If Shandon is not willing to accept Mobley's pay at Early Bird, then we'll need cap room.

If Mo comes around, we will need cap room.

I am just saying that I'm betting money on our ability to find better opportunities by keeping the cap room than we will find in trade suitors who can actually match his salary.

[This message has been edited by heypartner (edited December 05, 2000).]

 

Qustion about the Cap
If we did traded Dream for two players,let's say one guy we really wanted who made say 2 or 3 million a season and overpaid stiff to get the salaries to match,could we then release the stiff and would it count against our cap?

Houston Gets
Youngguy With Loadsofpotential at 3million
Bigwhite Overpaid Stiff at 13 million

Some other NBA team gets
Dream at 16 million

If we gave Bigwhite Overpaid Stiff his outright release after trading for him would his salary still go against our cap?And if so,would it be for the remainder of the deal we released him from?

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Mitch Meluskey...The real Slim Shady

 

Ignorant presuppositions don't warrant comments.

 

Dude chill out and go see if Al Gore needs some help recounting or something

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Mitch Meluskey...The real Slim Shady

 

Sorry guys but this is garbage ... Rudy showed a great deal of loyalty in NOT trading Dream last year when he could have ... Imagine the team NOW without Dream but with Swift/Martin/Rahim/whomever we were going to get (I forget)

What a lot of CRAP

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[Note: This message has been edited by Administrator]

 

Since no one else has posted this, I will.

Francis is a good player, however, he does not know how to deliver a pass to the low post. I have lost count of how many times Dream was in his spot in the low post, yet Francis was unable to get it to him.

When Dream is fronted, forget about it. There is no player on our roster, except Moochie, (I have never seen him do it either) who can lob the ball over the defender, with the right touch, so the weakside help can do nothing but foul him.

Dream is 100% right, he should be more involved on the offense. Francis and Mobley, while talented, have a lot of learning to do.

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When we tire of well-worn ways, we seek for new. This restless craving in the souls of men spurs them to climb, and to seek the mountain view.
-- Ella Wheeler Wilcox