So I have been thinking of Cato as a disappointment and this is what I have: He is not really a disappointment. Wow, that was easy to do. Here is why. Last year he avarged about 3 and 3 (ppg, rpg). He was on a Blazer team with a deep front line. Now he has more than doubled his scoring and just about doubled his rebounding. He has never been wanted as a real option until this year. His years with Portland he was just considered a good 3rd stringer (Sabonis, Wallace, Cato). When that is your label, you do not think about being a power. So he came here to play behind a legend who you thought would be averaging about 18 a game. Well, he was not ready. He has been decent - stilll better than a lot of starting big men. All that he needs is some work in the offseason. CD is a miracle working. Hakeem can try to teach him more things that he can no longer do nightly. Give him some time. He is a disappointment for those expecting big results immediately. But, before this season started, who really thought we would use him this much? Be honest. Keep in mind we had no real backup center last year. ------------------ [This message has been edited by rimbaud (edited March 30, 2000).]
I agree that I've been thinking about Cato, too. I still come up with, he's a disappointment. First, I consider him a pleasant surprise offensively. I didn't expect much at all. I like his offense because he is eager to get dishes and garbage points, and happy with that role. It is key to the success of guard penetration that Cato have this mindset, and be good and handling dishes and never fumbling them--ala Pig. 10ppg on starter minutes would be fine with me, and very doable for Cato. If he learns to nail the open Edwards (Pistons title years) jumper from 10-15, or even a Rogers jumber, I'd be hugely ecstatic. My disappointment has nothing to do with his offense. He has been a defensive specialist since freshman year at ISU. I simply could not believe how many head-fakes he was falling for in his 3rd-year of NBA, and he has very soft hands in the rebounding dept. That is 7 yrs being tauted as a standout defensive player, and I still see a careless man defensively who seems more focused on individual plays like skying for an "ESPN Highlight Block" than he is about anchoring a defense. Cato must be a consistent defensive force and tenacious rebounder to wash away my disappointment. His amount of full game focused play are just not enough for $42m. Anyone know if he is even staying in Houston this summer? [This message has been edited by heypartner (edited March 30, 2000).]
heypartner: Yeah, those are his weaknesses. He has very sofy hands - many times I have watched in horror as balls slip out of his hands when he tries to rebound. But he has the timing and instincts (most of the time) to be a solid rebounder. Soft hands can be fixed. As far as head fakes, he is too eager. I think that is a product of him always being a defensive specialist. He wants blocks and lots of them. It is hard for me to think of him as a third year player because he got so little quality time with the Blazers. I do not know if he will stay in Houston this summer, but he will if he knows what is best for him. ------------------
I look at him as a success. Not a dissapointment. As a starter he is averaging 10 ppg - 6.6 rpg (25 minutes) As a bench he is averaging 7.6 ppg- 5.5 rbg (21 Minutes) And all of this in just about 22 minutes per game on the average. You jump that up to like 35 minutes and you've got 15 points per game and eight rebounds. He averaged 27 minutes in December and bumped his average up to 11.1 ppg. Nice. I think more minutes would give him better numbers. His biggest games were against the weaker teams, which would concern me at first, but when you think about it you'll realize those are the games in which he becomes the first option. Size advantage. GS, DET, Clippers, Boston, Pheonix for example. He had big games. So it's not as bad as it looks. ON other nights he is the last offensive option. So his numbers would be skewed by this fact. In addition, Rudy has been reluctant to play him big minutes aganist the likes of Mourning (6 minutes), Robinson (19 minutes), Mutombo (18 minutes), and Shaq (15 minutes). So his numbers suffer. Likely, Olajuwon has been taking on these tasks. I don't think he's the greatest Center in the League, but I think he's in the Top 10 when you consider those numbers and that he clogs the lane and frightens little point guards. Rudy is no dummy. He can't wait to unleash CATO on the world. He's doing it the right way. He's just getting him ready to start. ------------------ humble, but hungry. [This message has been edited by PhiSlammaJamma (edited March 30, 2000).]
Nothing going on at work, and this is what I do with my time...oh well. Crisco: You are so smart for agreeing with me. Keep it up, buddy. As far as Cato's offensive skills...what skills did Shaq have his first three years - all he could do was dunk. Now, as much as I hate to admit it, he has developed. Personally, I think it is amazing that he has ever scored above 20 points. Thus, his offense has been pleasant. Blocks - he is up on the list of league leaders and he can only get better. Sure, I would love for him to get 3 a game, but that can come. Money - yeah, he got a lot (not 7 mil per, though). But he would have gotten that (or more) at the end of the season anyway (with the Rockets or anyone else). There is such a lack of even decent centers, teams will overpay in a heartbeat. McIlvane, Reeves, anyone. Williams was the only proven quantity in the Pippen trade. Cato was a project. It is not his fault everyone expected him to be slightly worse than Hakeem in his prime. Francis is the savior, not Cato. ------------------
Cato has the ability to get better but, it's up to him to become all he can be. If he is willing to put in the extra time with CD, Mr. Mean & Rudy he can get there. I am just not sure yet if he has it in him to push himself to learn and get better. I haven't given up on him yet. I am disappointed that we tied up the big bucks on him so early. It is apparent that CD has some learning to do about contracts. I hope he gets better at it soon. I am afraid Pig is going to have one big game and CD will sign him to a huge long term contract. ------------------
Cato going into this year prepared himself to be Portland's third string center and not Houston's first center. This year is really his first 82 game season with significant minutes. Next season I expect much more from him. He will have to work on his O skills beyond dunks, starting with a 5' turn around shot and a 10' jump shot. He also needs to work on his defensive rebounding, which is flat out awful. He stand around too much waiting for the ball to come to him. For this, he just needs reps against quality rebounders. If this is all of the skills work he gets done over the off season, I will be very happy. ------------------
I have to agree that we gave him a big contract too soon. Ok, he had a great preseason. Big deal. You should wait and see what the guy can do in 82 games that really count. ------------------ Reporter:What do you guys need to do in order to beat this team? Charles Barkley:Score more points than they do.
For what he was, he's not a disappointment. For a $42 million dollar man, he is. He has got the physical tools, especially if he and Rudy work together in the offseason. But to me, Cato has got to show the dedication, and I haven't seen that from him at all times. Look at tonights game against the TWolves. He played 26 minutes, and had a grand total of 1 rebound and 0 blocks. It is completely ridiculous and pathetic to have an NBA starting center getting one rebound in a game. He could do better with his size and athletism, but to me he hasn't shown the effort. Now, if Rudy can get into his head in the summer, then we may have a legit center and a success story. But at this point he's a disappointment in my book. ------------------ [This message has been edited by The Cat (edited March 30, 2000).]
Cato's contract sure reminds me of Maloney's contract. What was Rudy and CD thinking? ------------------ Respect Hakeem's legacy. A championship in the hand is worth two in the bush!!
heypartner, Cato was never a freshman at ISU. He only spent the last two years of his college career there. He's really on his fifth year of real organized basketball. ------------------ DJ
I was going to start a thread entitled "Cato-the perfect Center for the Houston Rockets". I'll just put in my two cents here. In terms of size, strength, speed, hops, and youth, there is nothing in the entire league out there that is better for us. Name one legit center in the league his age who can run with our fantastic backcourt and sky for the 'oop and the huge block. Think of the starting centers for playoff teams. Guys like Longley, Ostertag, who is it for Minn? Dean Garrett or something? And don't even get me started out East, where Mutumbo is an all-star. Don't think for one second that those GM's wouldn't start back-flipping and openly salivating to get a legit center with this kind of athleticism at such a young age, all his best years ahead of him. Cato is the perfect fit for the now guard-oriented Rockets. As Heypard already noted, not only is he willing to get his garbage points and thrive off the dominance of our guards, he's good at it. He has the young legs, the speed, the hops, and the highlight-lovin attitude that is all part of the new Rockets. If we trade him, there is no legit center out there who can replace what he brings in terms of athleticism, speed, hops, blocking ability. Not in the league (unless you're talking all-star), not in the draft. Cato could be part of a trade that will bring us somebody we really like, but I guarantee that we will be talking about the hole at center, instead of the hole at PF or SF. I think trading him would be a huge mistake. His best years are coming, and we have him all tied up, thank god. Am I disappointed? Hell yes. I believe he got one rebound tonight in the 'Wolves game. That is pathetic. I am disappointed because of what he showed us in the preseason when Barkley went down. He AVERAGED FIVE BLOCKS A GAME in the preseason. Against the Cavs he blocked TWELVE shots. And not just weak side trash against guards. SIX times he swatted Kemp in that one game, and added another six on the others who dared approach. In the entire preseason he NEVER blocked fewer than three shots in a game. There was a time when when Clutch called him 'The Foaming One' in the recaps because of his animal ferocity spitting everywhere. Where is it now? I don't know, and that disappoints me. No, actually, it pisses me off. But you can't just lose it. We know it's there; we've seen it. At least he isn't some softie who never had heart and never will. There is no question in my mind we will see The Foaming One rise again. And think of this- remember that game against the Lakers in January on NBC? Yes, that one. How many centers in the league can block Shaq straight up? In back-to-back possessions? And I don't mean coming over from the weak side to surprise him. I mean, one-on-one, Shaq isolated in the low post, no double team, no help, Shaq makes his move, and is straight-up BLOCKED. TWICE. Maybe Mutombo could pull that. Maybe. I don't think even Alonzo could do it. Let's put it this way: Cato doesn't start earning that fat contract until next year. Let's see if next season he really earns it. He's the same age as our other badasses, and we have him all tied up for the next several years and can watch him grow with this wonderful young nucleus. We are really very fortunate. ------------------
DJENS...cool...thanks i made an assumption based on remembering he was ISUs all-time shotblocker. still...plenty of time to learn not to fall for head-fakes...that's just poor discipline.
I am more dissapointed in CD and Rudy committing all that money to Cato rather than his play. I would be lying though if I said i hadnt expected more. It doesnt even seem like he has learned much from this season. He still committs silly fouls, jumps on the pump fake, has no offensive post game at ALL, dissappears sometimes, and hasnt been a rebounding monster as i had hoped. I had hoped that PT like he got would have improved his game more dramatically, but that was not the caase. But what you are saying is true, rimmy. He has been just a limited bench player till this year. And he has shown that he can produce in the time given, just not the bang per buck that fans are expecting. I fault the coach and personnel for investing cap space in potential that has yet to show in a meaningful game. Give him one more year. Then we'll see how bad or good a decision this was. ------------------ "Round 1 of Walt vs. Odom goes to ... Wizard!" Not only am I president of the WaltWizFanClub, I'm also the member. Oh yeah, and DoctorofDunk, Houston Rocks, RM95, Rocket Fan, TexSalsa, AzimdaDream, Johnny Rocket and Shanna.
Cato has the talent but his lack of mental prowess is why his game suffers. What is it going to take for him to become motivated to the point where he's slobbering and yelling like he was during the first two preseason games. Kelvin Cato didn't get 20 blocks in two games by accident, he new what he was doing. What was his new contract worth after that? 7million per? What the duece was he thinking that he can just retreat in isolation and write children's books. C'mon Cato you owe this organization now that they deciced to take care of your family, and you, financially for the rest of your life. ------------------ I wish I had a million lottery balls...He-haw! [This message has been edited by ROCKETBOOSTER (edited March 30, 2000).]
There is still hope for the young guys. Cato was pathetic last night but, they did say that he planned on staying this summer to work with CD & Rudy. Also, K. Thomas will be working on his game this summer in Houston. ------------------
good scoop OT ... thanks ------------------ The farther the Rockets move down the standings, the farther I move down the bleachers.
