Did the Knicks Learn from the Rockets-Toronto Blunder?

Um...

It's possible, but what's funny is the Knicks showed no loyalty and didn't improve! In our situation, we could have really improved our future, but we decided to hang onto Dream because of loyalty. The Knicks did neither. They traded away their franchise player for years, and from a personnell standpoint did not get fair value in return. Rice and Longley for Ewing is not a good trade for NY.

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4th Friday of August= Rocket Day
1999-Steve Francis
2000-Maurice Taylor

 

I think the difference between the two deals is Dream didn't really want to play past this last year of his contract. He also didn't really want to play with any other team. Knowing that honor him with loyalty. He knows he is not as good as he use to be, and is cool with a lesser role with the team.

Pat on the other hand thinks he can play 3 more seasons after his contract ends this season. He is even thinking he should still be getting paid the top dollars. He is willing to play for another team because he knows that is not in the best interest of the Knicks. The Knicks really had no choice but to try to take advantage of a team that is willing to give a lot for him.

IMO, the Knicks got the better end of this deal over-all. It will be weird seeing Pat on another team and in the west. I hope he can keep up with the fast pace game!

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[This message has been edited by djones (edited September 20, 2000).]

 

Also, since the infamous fight with Ray Patterson, Hakeems' relationship with both the city and the team has done nothing but gotten better, whereas for that same period, Ewing's relationship with the Knicks as followed an equaly steady downward trend.
Patrick has done more than his share as far as spurning the team and the fans and bringing about this divorce. Imagine what would have happened if Hakeem had spent the last couple of years talking about how the team should get better or he would really like to be traded to the Jazz, and I think you might understand it from New York's perspective.

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P1, S2,

I thought Steve Francis, Mo Taylor, and Shandon Anderson was us getting "better". How much "beter" can we possibly be?

With Doug Christie, would Anderson be here? Would Mobley have resigned?

With Willis here (and KT) would Taylor have been as inclined as to push for Houston?

Lemme see, we drop Hakeem like a bad habit, then all of the sudden Anderson wants to come here and play for less money? Then Francis wants to come here via trade? Then Mobley agrees to sign for less money? Then Taylor wants to come here?

Hmmm, not a likely scenario.

I like our young players, and I especially like how the Rockets have shown their loyalty to Olajuwon.

We didn't resign Big Mo Malone, We did keep the Big E here his whole career, Ralph left. The only "superstar" that played his entire career here is Calvin Murphy. Rudy stayed, but with his injury had a limited career. It's not "hanging on to the past" it's "preserving the past". There is and will be a future when Hakeem hangs em up, and the Rockets have made sure that they will keep us interested after the greatest player ever to were a Rocket jersey finally retires..... as a Rocket.

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On the Knicks. How much better did they really get? Ewing was a very productive player, and Rice plays SF, Spree and Houston get most of those minutes. Sure they may move Houston, but now they have no real consistent offensive/defensive presence in the lane.


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I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem.
DREAMer's Rocket Page

[This message has been edited by DREAMer (edited September 21, 2000).]

 

The Knicks traded Ewing because he wanted another huge contract so he could play until he was 40. If Hakeem made that same demand, at this point in his career, I'd trade him to.



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Too often, we lose sight of life's simple pleasures.

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I think New York made out pretty damn good. I mean, just look at the meat of their lineup. Houston and Rice are deadly shooters and Sprewell is an exciting "take it to the basket" type of guy. Plus, Charlie Ward is CLUTCH, especially in the playoffs. The Knicks have a damn good team.

They play better without Ewing, anyway.



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My dream job is to be a Houston Rockets towel-boy.

 

Just a reminder to those who have forgotten and to the newbies, popeye posted, at the time, that the Toronto trade supposedly fell apart because Toronto refused to give Hakeem the contract extension he was demanding to sign off on the deal.

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Well, also, from a purely public relations standpoint, trading Hakeem would have been a disaster. It would have made the Rockets look horrible to non fans no matter what the actual scenario was.

In NYC, however, they were screaming to crucify Ewing. Keeping him would have been the equivalent of trading Olajuwon here.

Another thing the Rockets did was serve notice to the rest of the players in the league that they are loyal to their own. Look at guys like Anderson, Mobley and Taylor. Loyalty won them over in one way or another and class of the organization.

The Knicks have an advantage on some cities because they are NYC, but Houston builds its reputation through loyalty and a solid group in the front office. Say what you want about getting better by moving Olajuwon, but I would argue that we got better just by floating the idea and then shooting it down. As a result, the Rockets got younger anyway and came out of it looking like heroes.

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Jeff,

How much harder would your "Save Our Rockets" movement be without Hakeem Olajuwon, and all the other players he brought here with his presence?

Dare I say we would be "Clipper-like"? Or maybe like the Bulls are now?

I tell you I know of one person for sure who would change their "yes" vote to a "no" vote in a hearbeat.

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I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem.
DREAMer's Rocket Page

 

i think we did the right thing for our team and the dream and i think everything could not have worked out better,we picked up steve francis and we get to watch the greatest player ever to wear a rocket's uniform go out wearing a rockets uniform

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I'm not the type to eat it up but the type to hit it raw dog and seed it up.

 

Hmmmmm....

Not that I'm saying we should have traded Hakeem last season, but I personally think the Knicks made out like bandits in this whole deal.

Sure they got Luc and Rice, but they also landed 6 DRAFT PICKS! And all for a guy that is obviously on the decline, who isn't going to be around long.

I don't see how that's not a good deal for them.

Not that it doesn't make them a bunch of a$$es...

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"There are three kinds of lies:
Lies, Damned Lies, and STATISTICS..."
- Mark Twain -

 

I don't think you should put too much stock into any post that has the phrase "but if Hakeem cared about the team". I'm sorry but have you been awake for the last 17 years? Just let go of your hatred dude. Get counseling or somethin.

As for Patrick Ewing, his situation is totally different from Hakeem's. Hakeem has an MVP, two rings, and is generally revered for his long standing contributions to our city. Ewing has never won a thing even though he predicts a title every year and he is constantly battered in the New York media. New York has tired of his act and he wants to move on. These situations have little in common.

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"Somebody DO something out there." -Bill Walton

 

And talking about getting Nickle Hardaway in a package for Hakeem? Puleazeeeee. The Nickle has never won a thing, is always injured, and might be the most overpaid player in the whole league.

I'd rather have a 50 year old Hakeem sitting on the bench than a Nickle Hardaway on the injured list half of every season because his stupid shoes don't fit right.

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"Somebody DO something out there." -Bill Walton

 

So that must make it true, right?

 

Yeah they look really good with three guys who play same position. Last time I checked, there is only 1 basketball allowed into play during the game.


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Houston Rockets Forever!!
In Rudy We Trust

 

Note the use of the word supposedly, Freak.

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Stat totals from the past 2 seasons:

Games Played: Hakeem 94, Patrick 100
Minutes Played: Hakeem 2833, Patrick 3335
Total Points: Hakeem 1400, Patrick 1586
Total Rebounds: Hakeem 752, Patrick 981
Total Assists: Hakeem 149, Patrick 101
Total Blocks: Hakeem 193, Patrick 184
Total Steals: Hakeem 123, Patrick 66
Total Turnovers: Hakeem 212, Patrick 241
Field Goal Perc: Hakeem 49.3% Patrick 45.3%
Free Throw Perc: Hakeem 68.7% Patrick 71.9%
Points Per Game: Hakeem 14.9, Patrick 15.9
Rebounds Per Game: Hakeem 8.0, Patrick 9.8