Whether or not he needs the money isn't the point. Most of us would never drop down in salary so that we could end our career where we started it. Why should he? I wouldn't. Just to play on a team that has been telling me they are moving in a new direction. I don't think so. It's not fair to ask somebody to take a slary cut even though they have done their work to the best of their abilities. Not going to happen. If anything were going to be honorable, it would be the Rockets paying hakeem what he wants to honor his service. However, I think the Rockets honored the contract so both parties should be relatively comfortable with their respective decisions. ------------------ humble, but hungry.
I believe it will be a long time before we know for sure if Dream will be gone or not. I just don't know if Rudy and CD will just let him walk away. Personally, if we cannot sign him for $5mil or less then I say adios. As for Webber, I'm not sure whether I really want him on the Rockets anymore or not. We can easily be a playoff team if we just re-sign Mo, Moochie, and sign a cheaper center and with our picks. In the draft we can try and trade up to get Griffen, Battier, or Diop...or we can just keep our picks and get role players at SF and C. As for a Dream sign and trade, it could open up doors for SAR again. Say the Rockets were able to trade up in the draft and get Diop, or draft Woods at 13...we then send Dream,Cato to Vancouver for SAR and probably Reeves. It might have to be a 3way to get Dream on a contender. That would give the Rockets a line-up of: C Diop/Woods, PF Taylor, SF SAR, SG Cat, PG Steve BENCH Mooch, Reeves, Walt, etc. OR C Rook(Johnson?), PF Taylor, SF SAR, SG Cat, PG STeve BENCH Reeves, Rook SF, RookSG/C, KT, Mooch IMO, no matter what moves we make short of trading Steve or Cat the Rockets will come out winners and greatly improved. ------------------ Woohoo! In your face!
PSJ, If I made enough money to support me, my children, my childrens' children, and their children too, money would be one of the least important things on my mind when it came to choosing a job. If his ego still needs stroking after all of the love the fans showed him during the last game, then he can go away to some eastern team, beat up their weak competition, and then get knocked out in the finals. Posturing? I'd have a lot more respect for the dude if he was just a straight shooter and said what he thought. The man is delusional if he thinks the Rockets are set to go to the finals with him and Mo in the frontcourt. He's a legend, he doesn't need to play games with the media and management. Did Barkley swallow his pride when he signed for the minimum so we could get Pippen? I don't think anyone thought he was less of a player because he signed for the minimum, if anything he got more love and respect from everyone. If Dream feels so insecure with his standing in the city of Houston that his contract actually matters, then he can just go play for a set of fans that have no clue how great he once was. I doubt whatever city he would go play for (if not Houston) would be that understanding if he goes down with yet another injury. It was a great ride with Hakeem, but I'm a Rockets fan first. I'd wish him success in every game not involving the Rockets just like Cassell and Horry. ------------------ "Empire" had the better ending. I mean, Luke gets his hand cut off, finds out Vader's his father, Han gets frozen and taken away by Boba Fett. It ends on such a down note. I mean, that's what life is, a series of down endings. All "Jedi" had was a bunch of Muppets.
You guys (and I mean this with no sarcasm) are better at reading between the lines than I, but I'm with the Why Be Pessimistic? crowd. I don't claim to understand the implications of Olajuwon's statement, but I have no issues with him saying he won't take a pay cut. I've had quite a few months now to prepare for that. I won't be crushed if he leaves for the same reason, although I really, really hope he doesn't. Still, I'm not ready to say good-bye. He says he wants market value. It's been my impression that what with limited cap room, Dream is unlikely to gain much more than the $4.5 million exception from many other teams. I have no issues paying Dream around that much, putting available cap room (or lack thereof) aside for a moment. And will it really be impossible to squeeze both Webber and Dream on the roster? I'm very surprised Dream feels the present team is enough to go all the way. However, I'd be more likely to listen to him if I weren't thinking long-term. Dream can address a great deal of our defense and rebounding problems when he's at the top, and I mean the top, of his game. I won't get into what he's capable of, since Dream did prove many of us wrong trying to guage his abilities earlier. But long-term, it's unlikely that Dream has many years left in the league, and it's going to take longer than a few years for a core of Francis, Mobley and Taylor to develop enough where we have a realistic chance at the championship. That's a principal problem here. Dream's thinking short-term and we're thinking long-term. Dream's short-term outlook is also ridiculously optimistic. Most of you are probably reading between the lines at this point, and could quite likely convincingly explain what Dream's "really" saying and where Dream's "really" coming from (I mean this with no sarcasm, by the way.) So, I second Jeff in that perhaps this might be all for the best in the long-term. If Dream's not willing to take his last few years at discount (and I don't see why he's obligated to do that, although it would be really nice), then perhaps we are better off learning how to get along without him now, seeing as how we're going to have to do that, have in fact already started to do that, in a few years anyway. A good SF would be nice. But I hope HP is right and the Rockets get a big man in the draft (and pray that who the Rockets pick can be a fairly decent to fairly good role player at center) or through other means. You can add Shawn Marion to this team, but that's still not going to make us title contenders, in my opinion, and don't get me wrong - I'd s*** my pants if he were coming. Dream is right; we do need a good big man to get to the next level. Webber may not be The Answer (not trying to make any comparisons to Iverson), but he's pretty close. Best wishes to Dream. I hope and believe it's still possible that he will rejoin the Rockets next year with a deal that is satisfactory to almost everyone. If not, I'll still cheer for him if he comes back to town with a different team (provided he doesn't burn too many bridges a la Scottie) ------------------ "All you need is love."
Sorry, I'm not a salary cap expert. I still think that he will sign for about 4-5 million dollars, but I just don't know how it will all work with the Webber/Taylor situation. The thing is, if the Rockets do land that big free agent for next year, signing Hakeem would not be about sentiment. It would be about solidifying a great frontline for a championship run. ------------------ The Protrolls.com message boards! Protrolls.com! Home of Turn, Tweak, and all your demented favorites!
U know . .. Doesn't boston Owe Russell like a billion dollars for those 11 rings he helped them get .. . oh wait .. THAT WAS IN THE PAST Folx it is time to recognize that folx got market value . . IN THEIR TIME!! Hell Should boston bring bird back to pay him for the 80s? Hell the lakers had to practically kick Kareem out of the league. . . I mean hell. . . they loved him but after a while .. . sheesh . . . Rocket River BTW I love Hakeem and hope we resign him ------------------
I understand that But you don't pay a Cobol Coder in a Visual C++ world! You don't pay 50$ for Doom like u did when it came out. . . It still has game and it did make the 3-d game thing popular but . .. . . I think Hakeem should move on if he wants that kind of money. I'm serious. Houston should focus on youth Phi - you said no one would take a cut I say no company will buy outdated [yet useful] software at new software prices Rocket River ------------------
I think Hakeem thinks if we play like we did in 94 we can go all the way . . Moochie, Francis, Mobley and Mo hangin around the three while he does his thing Problem is. . . hakeem ain't the hakeem from 94 Rocket River ------------------
BYE BYE HAKEEM. Dang.. if i knew he'd be leaving I sure wish we would have traded him in that toronto deal a few years back.. But we all figured he needs to retire here.. too bad he doesn't know that he isn't a superstar. does he by any chance watch tapes of recent years.. or is he at home watching Double Clutch and still thinking he can do that? ------------------ Shane "Save Our Rockets" "Life without basketball in Houston........without an arena that is what it will be"
Sadly, I don't see a team with Webber added as an immediate championship contenter. I think we are a playoff team, for sure, but we have other needs to address as well before we reach championship level. If we got Webber and one good rookie (Richard Jefferson?) and that meant we could re-sign Hakeem or maybe sign another big man (Marc Jackson), that means we lose Anderson and Taylor. It gives us good depth at every position (assuming Moochie and Bullard return) because someone like Jefferson could play the 2 and the 3 and Francis could play the 1 and the 2. Plus, we have Thomas behind Webber and Cato behind whichever big man is here. That is an awfully good team, but I would think it puts us on par with Dallas or Utah, maybe even San Antonio, but probably not LA. We will need at least one season, maybe two, as a solid unit to really challenge for the title, but man do I like our chances with that group. ------------------ The internet is about the free exchange and sale of other people's ideas. - Futurama
"Last ye-ah when we won it was Clouch City. Dees ye-ah if we win, it'll be Dou-bel Clouch"......Dream in Double Clutch ------------------ "Oh No..." -Bill Walton in 97 just before Stockton's buzzer beater
I hate to see Dream go and I hope that they can work something out. I think ZRB was wrong about him signing for the $4.5mil exception. Don't we lose that exception when we renounce our rights to Dream and fall below the cap? If we do get Webber, who's team will it be? Webber's or Francis'. ------------------
I think ZRB was wrong about him signing for the $4.5mil exception. Don't we lose that exception when we renounce our rights to Dream and fall below the cap? You are correct. If we fall below the cap by more than the combined amount of our exceptions (just under $7M), then we lose exceptions for the season and can't get them back. ------------------
After reading a lot of these opinions about "don't let the door hit you on the way out", I am starting to hope Hakeem signs with LA for the exception and wins 2 more Titles. He definitely deserves it for all the years he busted his butt in Houston but had such a wretched supporting cast. I think you guys are missing something. Hakeem doesn't want to come out and say it, but he wants to win a RING. He KNOWS it's not happening with Houston next year, with or without Webber. He doesn't want to come out and say this to insult the team. In my book, he's earned the right to do whatever he chooses. He's not "screwing over" the Rockets by leaving the team. ------------------ Get Cato out of there...
So lets follow your scenario: Dream signs with the Lakers for about the same money the Rockets could do and he gets a ring. Dream knew that the Rockets didn't have enough to be a true contender, so that is why he left. Based on recent comments, Dream expects more than Mid-Level money. Won't running off to accept the same deal the Rockets could do prove him to be a liar? How does that save face (not insult the team) over saying the Rockets don't have enough of the right stuff to make it? Mango ------------------ Get it right or just don't do it! Resistance is futile....you will be assimilated. Start more Webber threads!
I know what you're saying Jeff. Lets just say that a team like I described would have better "chances" with Hakeem than without. They might not be ready next year, but they could still acheive "contender" status, and be among the favorites the year after that. Adding Hakeem to a Webber-Rockets team could do nothing but help, in my opinion. ------------------ The Protrolls.com message boards! Protrolls.com! Home of Turn, Tweak, and all your demented favorites!
hey rocket river: read my post. I said that Hakeem is worth whatever his MARKET VALUE is, TODAY. Right now, he is one of the 5 best centers in the league. Sure, you have to discount his value based on health concerns, but the man is worth at least $4 million a year, probably more. Haven, you are right about different players having different values on different teams. My only point is the Rockets should not expect Hakeem to sacrifice $$ to stay here, when he in all likelihood will get multiple attractive offers in the marketplace. ------------------
Hell, I just don't know how to feel about this. I do not think Dream is worth 10-12 million, thats for sure. I would have no problem paying him market value, though. Personally, I don't think Webber is the answer. Not only due to his performance in the playoffs this year, but his age is also a concern with me. I would prefer to field the same team next year, and hope Mo gets better on the boards. If he doesn't, then I'd really put pressure on Francis to talk to his buddy Elton Brand to get him to consider coming to Houston. If we don't get Webber, we should definitely resign Olajuwon (I think we should resign him anyway, assuming he's not asking for a ridiculous amount of money). If we can field the same team next year, we're definitely in the playoffs, IMO. Assuming Dream can stay healthy, he would only help the Rockets. ------------------ "I have no regrets except that I wasn't up to keep Randy from getting on that plane." --Ozzy Osbourne on guitarist Randy Rhodes
let's see Dream, you are saying in basic terms for us to choose you or Webber, Mmmmm... 1.1 years of declining production or 3 to 5 of optimal production from a top 3 power forward. hard decision... ------------------ It's my way or the highway!
