craZy cluEs ...

<font color="#003366">A few more clues, in case you haven't read through all the posts ... </font>

<ol>[*] <font color="#003366">Clutch </font> got the ball rolling with his post <a href="http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum3/HTML/010563.html">January 17, 2001 01:41 AM</a>

First off, I want to say how relieved I am this is out there. Damn Cato. If I had to wait another week before this came out, raising more suspicions and doubts that this was legitimately going on, and had to put up with another pansy ass like "NewGuy", I probably wouldn't have made it. I really had a hard time the last few days because there were tons of questions being aimed at me and little fringe sites coming out saying there was nothing at all going on with Hakeem. Anyhow, thanks to Doc Rocket for the great scoop a week and a half ago.

My question is a hypothetical scenario so don't get too many ideas.

Would you trade Dream in some package for Shareef and Big Country?

Keep in mind Big Country is a Big Joke on the salary cap. In 2003 you are paying over $14 million alone to him.... he's dead weight for 3 or 4 more years, and for a team like the Rockets trying to find the right pieces around a young, energetic, explosive team, that is near suicidal.

You also lose all cap room that Hakeem provided (Shareef also is making the max), and you run the risk of losing Taylor.

There's no doubting Shareef's talent, though he's not the greatest defender in the world.

Anyhow, would like to hear the answers, though I think it may be moot: I believe in the end the Rockets will just let Dream go and sign where he wants to sign. The cap room is viewed as too precious.

[*] Oldtimer <font color="#003366">ThaCabbage</font> came out of hiding and posted January 17, 2001 04:29 PM:

Patience.

Trading for SAR is the sexy thing to do. "...And the rejuvenated Rockets, led by their trio of 20 year old wonders, meet the Los Angelos Lakers, right here, on NBC..." Sure, it looks great on paper. The youth, the scoring, the star power. However, once you dig through the cosmetics, trading for Reef+Big Country would be a stupid, stupid, stupid thing to do. (I wouldn't be upset if we did it, but there are better options.)

Off the Court:

Look at the Rockets' situation right now. Rudy and CD have somehow put themselves in a perfect situation. A plethora of draft picks, good chemistry, and a load of cap space. We don't have anyone on our team that is untradeable (Kelvin Cato can be traded). We have great cap flexibility right now. One thing people do not understand is that even if we do not sign Webber, we still have the ability to make non-free agent trades and take on contracts (ie: Orlando and Clipper trade of this summer).

Would you pay $30mill for Sharif Abdur Rahim? That is what you are doing by making this trade. You are also running the risk of losing some integral parts to your team and putting yourself in a situation which cannot be reversed. If you make this trade (it would certainly include us also giving up our draft picks) you are pretty much saying that this is your team for the next half decade. Like I said, it looks damn sexy on paper but it is not economically sound.

Now if this deal came with the same economic problems but solved our problems on the court, I could make an exception....however....

On the Court

What does this deal do for us? Anyone who has been watching the Rockets knows that this team is in dire need of a physical interior presence. We don't need a sweet shooting superstar small forward. Sharif is a great player, don't get me wrong, but he doesn't solve our problems. We need someone like a Theo Ratliff (ohhhhh..) to compete in this ridiculously power forward loaded Western Conference. I have also been informed that Big Country has a rare condition in his knees which makes it very painful for him to run. Shoot, any idiot can see that Big Country has a rare condition which makes him unable to move. All of you are screaming for transition baskets but where are we going to get those when we must depend on our guards to stick around and clean the boards? An MManal-type scenario which would include a cheap rebounder would be ideal.

Conclusion: What it all comes down to is this => You can blow up the perfect scenario you have built yourself (draft picks, shot at CWebb, economic balance, reversable situations) for a great young superstar who doesnt fit any needs, salary cap hell, economic imbalance etc, etc.

If you trade for Rahim, you sure as hell better make sure it'll work on the court, because there ain't no way to get out of it.
</p>

[*] <font color="#003366">Achebe</font> <a href="http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum3/HTML/010618.html">posted January 18, 2001 11:12 AM:</a>

Aldridge just reported that 'the Rockets have given Olajuwon permission to talk to a couple of teams to try and work out a trade'.

Gee, it sounds like Dream's trying to do it only to help the Rockets. I wonder if he he'll be kind enough to try to pry one of the first rounders out of Boston. Maybe he can get a protected 5 out of Detroit.
</p>

[*] <font color="#003366">Clutch</font> responded January 18, 2001 11:17 AM:

This is honestly old news. Why Aldridge is just now reporting it I have no idea -- maybe the team is just now giving this info out, but Hakeem is no stranger to the Suns nor the Heat.
</p>

[*] <font color="#003366">Clutch</font> explained further January 18, 2001 11:28 AM

I can't see any trade with those teams being worked out. I would expect Hakeem to be talking with them about signing after being cut. I don't know who mentioned originally something like a wink-wink deal with say Miami where the Rockets waive Dream, and in return are able to make a deal to trade a player or two who uses cap room this summer (Los, Walt, etc.) for a player that doesn't (in the last year of his deal). Thus creating more cap room for the Rockets.

That is pure speculation but I think that would be fair and work well. Rockets are in this for the cap space and that actually increases cap space by letting Dream go. I think the Rockets are looking to be the very best option besides Sacramento for Chris Webber and even if they lose they have a lot of flexibility.

Webber praising Dallas and saying he could possibly sign there may have thrown up some bad flags, in my opinion.
</p>

[*] <font color="#003366">Thanos</font> <a href="http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum3/HTML/010644.html">posted January 19, 2001</a> 07:13 AM: <a href=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/daily/detail/0,1136,36000000000162107,00.html"> "Heat hot for Hakeem? According to the Sun Sentinel:</a>
Something is brewing. That much Heat coach Pat Riley would not deny. Whether it involves Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon, however, is another story. Word has the Heat aggressively looking into several high-end trades, with one Western exec saying conversations between Miami and Houston regarding Olajuwon were substantive.

Riley said Thursday that with several teams looking to unload high-priced talent before next season’s luxury tax, there are plenty of offers being dangled in front of the Heat. “There are two or three things out there,’’ he said. The Heat could easily come up with $8 million by packaging forwards Cedric Ceballos and Dan Majerle. Both Riley and GM Randy Pfund confirmed Heat conversations with Rockets VP Carroll Dawson. Asked about discussions of Olajuwon landing in Miami by the Feb. 22 trading deadline, Pfund said, “That’s not true. We have spoken about a couple of other things.” Olajuwon turns 38 Sunday and has an expiring contract with a $16.5 million tag for this
season. That makes any trade complex, especially for the Heat. “I don’t see how we could make the deal.”

Riley said, his team positioned to trade for a star in the $10 million range. Its seriously complicated to pull off any deal for Olajuwon, short of including Anthony Mason or drawing a third team into the mix. “It’s not impossible. It’s not likely, and it’s not probable,’’ Dawson said of dealing Olajuwon. “It would be a major problem.” One report out of Houston said the Rockets might waive Olajuwon, and the Heat could sign then him, but the chances of that actually happening seem remote"

Mason sounds nice... could play the 3 and his contract is in it´s last year... hmmm.
</p>

[*] and then both<font color="#003366">Thanos</font> and <font color="#003366">r-fan-since-81</font> posted January 19, 2001 9:38 - 10:02 AM

<a href="http://www.sportstalk.com/nba/rumors/">NBA TALK:</a>
"Hakeem WANTS out! Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon said all the right things about doing what is best for the Rockets when he went public saying he wouldn't hold it against the Rockets if they wanted to trade or waive him. 'I just want what's best
for the team,' said Olajuwon on Tuesday. 'I only want to do what's best for everybody, and that's what I said.' However, a source inside the Rockets organization has told NBAtalk that there is much more to it than that. The Dream WANTS to finish his career somewhere else. Olajuwon originally made this statement privately to the Rockets a few months ago, but went public with it after he perceived the Rockets weren't seriously considering moving him. He has no
grudges against the Rockets, but he doesn't want to finish his career in rebuilding mode. He's been frustrated with his role and thinks he would have a bigger impact on a team contending for a title. Olajuwon feels that he has enough left in his tank, according to the source, to help a team win an NBA championship. Hakeem has asked the
Rockets for a trade, and the Rockets gave his agent permission to shop the Dream around, but understands that it may be impossible for the Rockets to pull off anything given his salary. So the last few days, Olajuwon has been pushing the Rockets to waive him so he can catch on with another team. Said the source, 'Dream expects something to happen. He was hoping for a trade that would give the Rockets some
compensation for him. Now he's pushing hard for us to waive him so he can play somewhere else. He's not taking no for an answer.' The Suns and Heat would both be interested in picking up the Dream if he is waived."

Looks like it´s only a matter of time now...
</p>

[*] <font color="#003366">htownclones</font> <a href="http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum3/HTML/010655.html">posted January 19, 2001</a> 03:50 PM:

I just read an article on fanball.com
Hakeem is asking the rockets to waiver him.
below is the hyper link to the article from fan ball. What do you guys think about this?
I say don't let the door hit you on the way out. Chris Webber is coming to town

http://www.fanball.com/web/ph/content/newsBrk.cfc

The News
Because trading Hakeem Olajuwon and his $16-plus million contract is all but an impossibility, the legendary center has asked the Rockets, the only team for which he has played, to waive him. Hakeem still feels like he has gas left in the tank and he'd like to contribute to a winning team. Plus, with Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis running the up-tempo show in Houston, Olajuwon's half-court game no longer fits in. According to a team source, regarding Dream's request to be released, he is not taking no for an answer.

Our View
Complicating matters is the fact that Olajuwon currently resides on the injured list with a cyst on his knee. A cyst that may need to be removed via surgery. Still, the Suns and Heat, among other teams, are reportedly interested in signing Olajuwon upon his seemingly imminent release. </p>
[/list=a]

<font color="#003366">tick...tick...tick...

------------------
the more I know, the more I know I don't know...</font>

[This message has been edited by Sherlock (edited January 19, 2001).]