I just thought some of you folks might like to read this: The Rockets consider learning more about Kelvin Cato one of the top priorities of the summer and like the first indications. Cato showed a lack of interest in practice and training in his first season with the team and played with marginal interest down the stretch. But he also pledged to get to work in the off-season and has been going through two-a-day workouts for almost two weeks. He is scheduled to add sessions with Rockets vice president Carroll Dawson next week. Even though they signed him to a seven-year, $42 million deal that begins this season, the Rockets still are not entirely sure about Cato's long-term potential. They hope to really start figuring it out this summer. Trading Cato would seem an option and more than two-thirds of the league might consider themselves in need of a center. But he is a base-year player, making it difficult for the Rockets to deal with the 25 other teams over the salary cap. The Rockets trade exception could help. But the more Cato sticks with the new work ethic, the more likely it could be that they would give him another look. http://www.foxsports.com/nba/hou/teamreport.sml ------------------
Beat me to it JeffB! I was just about to post this.... kind of thought some people would get giddy about what it said "hypothetically" speaking of Danny Fortson: ----------------------------- Boston's Danny Fortson could be a free agent that would earn the Rockets attention. Fortson has indicated that he might be willing to play for the middle class salary cap exception, if he believed he would get the playing time he has not received in Boston. He likely will not jump at that offer and the Rockets are not likely to chase him early. But Fortson would provide some frontcourt bulk they need, particularly if it does not come in the draft. He also has a soft, if unorthodox, shooting touch that could fit well with the Rockets as a big man to set screens for Cuttino Mobley, if he returns, and Steve Francis. ------------------ NOTHING BUT .NET CLUTCHCITY.NET
Judging from this past season, I am still skeptical. However, if this thing pans out and Cato really has decided to adopt this new mindset, this could be the best move of the offseason for the Rockets. The Cato of last preseason is better than anything the Rockets could receive in a trade, and most importantly is what the Rockets need more than anything else. ------------------ "I don't care how tall the guy is, trade his ass!"
It would be nice to see Forston playing with the Rox. But it seems he and KT would be too similar in that both still leave the Rox desiring size down low. ------------------
Picking up Fortson might make Kenny Thomas expendable. I like Kenny Thomas a lot, but I might be willing to part with him to pick up Fortson. Actually, I wouldn't mind having them both. They both bring different things to the table. I know they're both a little undersized, but height is not everything. Doesn't Fortson play bigger than he really is? Doesn't he have long arms? ------------------
Yeah, you're right Traj. Forston does have long arms so his height doesn't really matter. ------------------
Guys, you don't add Fortson to trade KT. We are so thin in the frontcourt we need all we can get! Fortson has Brand-type legendary long arms. He can play center. He has played center. He grabbed the NBAs 4th leading rebounds his second season largely playing center for an injured Raef LaFrentz. He certainly did not play PF with McDyess there. Another thing to consider. With a 3 guard line-up and Fortson and KT we have an extremely fast team with excellent rebounding potential. That donut offense can score with anyone, IMO. Fortson, KT and Cato can all get 30+ minutes no sweat. [This message has been edited by heypartner (edited May 20, 2000).]
"Fortson, KT and Cato can all get 30+ minutes no sweat." I thought you wanted to trade Cato? Or is your sarcasm just going way over my head? ------------------ "We're sitting there, shooting alcohol into our veins... We could just drink it!" -Tommy Lee
Right on TraJ, Fortson WOULD make KT somewhat expendable. I'm not so concerned about his height because he can rebound like a madman(or like the Chuckster...which can be one in the same). Anyway, I would prefer to keep Cato, because of his potential, unless a deal we can not pass up involves trading him where the Rockets get a quality center. ------------------ We need some meat in the post!
TheFreak, Yes, I want Cato traded for another big man (PF or C) because he is our best trade bait (Mobley is not moving). Let me rephrase: "KT, Fortson and another big man can get 30+ each." I don't subscribe to the limited view of some that says two PFs can't be the same team. There are entire offensive motion sets designed around that. We play the 4 out 1 set enough to not need a center on offense, as long as we have rebounding. Either Cato becomes our center, or we get another. But still, 3 big men can share 2 spots considering the offense we play. Now, before you all say we can't win a title or beat the Lakers without a legit center, all I can say to that is take it one season at a time. If we refuse to move Cato this summer or next season, based on comments about what it takes to win a title, then we are spoiled Rockets fans that are just banking our future on dreamcasting trades that will deliver a Martin/Swift with no big loss, or a Duncan or Webber. Come on, who out there is ready for some pain. Who out there is ready to watch us slowly advance through the playoffs with strategic acquisitions each year. And who out there is tired of arguments against trades that are based solely on comparing the resulting team to the Chicago Bulls or the Lakers. I look to build each year. Add to our trade bait. Don't worry about prototype positions, and what history says about title holders. Many teams got to the finals without centers. I believe teams must march forward and always improve with each trade. You don't need to wait for the blockbuster. You can fill your weaknesses eventually, as long as you keep improving. The Truth in undeniable: WE MUST GET MORE BIG MEN!!! I do not believe KT is expendable just because we get one big men. We really only have 2 big men for the future, both unproven. We need 4 big men on this team! TraJ, RocketPimp Do you guys really only look at bball teams as five guys that get 40 minutes? That's not the way it is. We had 5 big men last year to start the season, Barkley, Dream, TMac, Cato, KT. Teams need at least 4 big men to play an NBA 82 game schedule, not to mention have strength to compete in the playoffs. What the hell does it mean KT is expendable by adding a PF on a team with a depleted frontline. What? are you going to add to the 3 position on a team that plays a 3 guard line-up. [This message has been edited by heypartner (edited May 20, 2000).]
I'll say it again: I wouldn't mind having them both. They bring different things to the table. Where did anyone get the idea that I wanted to get rid of KT if we got Fortson? I merely meant that if the right deal came up, KT certainly wouldn't be a deal breaker with Fortson on the team (especially if we pick a big man in the draft this year). If you look at all of the posts I've written that have anything to do with KT, you'll find that from day one (not after he had a few good games -- day one) I thought he had some potential. I still do. I would like to keep him (and get Fortson). ------------------
Stop the presses. Cabbage says the new, improved Cato could be the best move of the offseason. You can almost feel the ship of conventional wisdom turning around. ------------------ 10 months. 2,255 posts.
Kelvin is 25 years old. When he came out of college he had NO offensive game. He was billed as a defensive player. Then he was drafted 15th. He was never given a chance to play, only as a backup role. Playing in Portland there was absolutely no place for him to come into a game. Grant, Wallace, Sabonis, and everyone else on the Blazer team. Now in Houston he was given a chance to play. At the begining he was good. Then he warped from a no playing situation in Prtl. to everyday starting duties for the Rockets. And make no mistake about it, when the Rockets still had playoff hopes he was playing superb. Cato has a good looking turnaround shot. He is solid from 15 feet out. He can dunk. His knock is he isn't too good a rebounder and he slacks off during points in the game. But when you have francis, Anderson, and Williams playing who can all get rebounds; Cato isn't needed to get 10 rebounds per game. A good Cato goal is 7.5 to 9 rebounds per game. ------------------
I sure hope you're joking with that last sentence... Somebody who's actually watched the games help me out : does he actually even possess an outside shot? I've been under the assumption his outside shot was a jump hook from about 5 feet. ------------------ ?
<u>Dr of Dunk</u> I agree somewhat with Vince about CAto having a game up to 15 ft. Although Cato dont' shoot from da 15 too much, I have seen him occasionally take some shots, and I'll tell you that they don't look bad at all. I even saw him make 1 or 2 fadeways, and they also didn't look too bad. I wouldn't go as far as Vince by saying that he is solid from 15 feet, but I would say that he is decent from 15 feet. But with the work in the offseason that he's doing right now,Vince migth very well be correct in saying that Cato is solid from 15 feet. ------------------ treasurer of the moochie norris fan club
HP, I know what you're saying. I did not mean to imply that if the Rockets got Fortson we should trade KT. I would absolutely love to have KT and Fortson patroling the paint grabbing boards and playing some physical D! All I meant was that if it took KT to get Fortson, I would consider a trade. ------------------ We need some meat in the post!
I agree 100% with your assessment of Cato. The guy has some of the worst hands of any big man and his rebounding is worse than anemic. I truly cannot think of a worse rebounding 7 footer. Partly to his defense, the Rockets offense keeps him away from the basket so it makes offensive rebounding tough for him to accomplish. But there is still no excuse for being 7 foot tall and a tremendous leaper and not getting 9 boards a game. His work ethic and on court demenor are an enigma to me. Some games he is a real force in the paint and then the very next game he seems like he could care less. I would also add that he seems to be a good man defender, but his switching defense isn't as good as I hoped it would be. ------------------
What I would like to know is who is playing center once we trade Cato. Hakeem has one year left at most and there is no certainty we can get a full year out of him. That leaves Pig Miller and Carlos Rodgers. That's out future at center, perhaps as soon as next season, if we trade Cato. It actually points out why Cato has trade value. Because there are only a handful of legit centers in the league. My guess is around 10. So, if we trade him, we instantly become one of those 2/3s of the teams in the NBA looking for a center. I remember two years ago when we had about three semi-legititmate centers on the squad and Shaq destroyed us. It was ugly. But then, in the very next round, the Spurs gave a clinic on how to handle him. The point is it can be done. But, no matter how you slice it, you have to have the bodies. And i'm not sure that Pig and Carlos fit that bill. ------------------
