Hakeem is finished. He can no longer contribute to the team in any active fashion that would increase the Rox's chances of winning. Please, Dream, step down for next year and allow the Young Guns a chance to take over the team. I'd like to see Hakeem waived next year, in combination with a partial buyout of his contract (which would really just be charity). This may seem disgraceful coming from a Rox fan, but let's be real - we need to start thinking about the future of this ballclub. Steve Francis, Shandon Anderson, Kenny Thomas, Kelvin Cato, Cuttino Mobley - THAT is the team of the future. Hakeem is conspicuously nowhere to be found in such a lineup... Don't get me wrong - we owe him at least two championships, but the changing of the guard has come. Raise the jersey into the rafters, retire its number, etc - Honor Hakeem, but take him off the roster. Unless you want to keep losing close games.
C'mon, now. No one wants to lose close games - unless you're in the tank club, and I'm sure you aren't. Who the heck likes to lose a game where a single player's effort may have made the difference... I know that realistically, we're stuck with Dream for another year - no matter what happens, who we trade for, whatever. Hakeem wants to play next year as a Rocket, and by God, he's gonna do it. I never said he was a quitter (one of the many things I love about him)... But as a tactical decision, I think it has merit. We will not become a winning team until we have a totally new team (from the old Rockets). At least, that's my opinion. Of course, no one's going to buy his contract, and personally I'd like to see his contract finished in Houston (could you imagine what a disgrace it would be for him to finish his career in, say Vancouver?) We're probably stuck with him. All I'm saying is that his play is NOT helping us to get wins. I guess it all boils down to what we think is more important: winning or honor. Ask the Bulls which is more important.
The Bulls did it right: A series of fat one-year contracts for Jordan in his final years. That's what we should have done with Olajuwon. Then we wouldn't be agonizing over an extra year of pointless humiliation.
Agonizing - you got that right. Hakeem at this point is extra baggage - something like $18 million per year - that we need to get rid of sometime soon if we want to land another star in his place. Were Cato more consistent, I doubt I'd complain. But he's not, and the Rox have a big hole - front-and-center - that EVERYONE is going to exploit... I dunno... How would you fix this problem?
The announcers said that Dream was having a hard time breathing before the game. I don't think he's solved that problem yet, regardless if someone thinks it's asthmatic. Let's see if he returns to form when he truly solves the health problems. I bet we hear about his health tomorrow. But if this isn't about health, it is truly sad to see him out there like he was tonight. That missed dunk had to be embarrassing. It was for me.
Look, Here is the deal with Hakeem (other then his health). His pride is hurt, he sees that he is no longer a focus of the offense and just is playing out the string. If you have ever played ball, and you are on offense and you have teamates that RARELY pass you the ball, you lose interest and do not play to your full potential. I think Dream is just a bit disinterested. Even though he shot 0-9 tonight, he was getting good...no GREAT looks at the basket. I think Dream needs a challenge, perhaps next year he will want to go out with a bang, but I think I am hoping against hope. If Dream had the fire of MJ he would be averaging 20-10 still. Don't forget that just last year he averaged 19 and 9, he has not degenerated that much, he just is not interested, and has read the writing on the wall, and does not like what it says. DaDakota [This message has been edited by DaDakota (edited March 14, 2000).]
Dakota: But is that supposed to be an excuse? Dammit, I get a sick feeling in my stomach when I even think about dropping Hakeem (Rockets=Hakeem, so no Hakeem = what?)... But... But. The team is not going to retire with Hakeem. It will continue to play, and hopefully we'll be able to steal a championship sometime soon (a few years). I'm aware of his stats last year, and the year before, and before that - they've dropped in all categories significantly. This is NOT the same man who 'wowed' us in 1995. And he might not like the 'writing on the wall', but he still has to operate by it. He is no longer a dominating and unbelievably quick center with a reputation for blocks and scoring. Now he's just an old man who continues to hang around the NBA. He has not been graceful in his ageing - at least, not in his play.
DaDakota: "If you have ever played ball, and you are on offense and you have teamates that RARELY pass you the ball, you lose interest and do not play to your full potential." I respect you man but I gotta disagree with you on this one. When I was still living in Houston, my older brother and I would go play at the courts and would be the only white guys there. (ATTENTION! Before everybody jumps on me. That was not a racist comment. It is a reality.) Not only that but we're both under 5'10". In pick up games you have to work hard on D and make good passes bringing the ball up the court before anybody will ever pass you the ball for a shot (even if you are open). If nobody passes you the ball, big woop, play tenacious D and create for yourself. You have to be a team player before they will give you an opportunity to shine as an individual. This attitude about I'm not getting the ball so I'm not "up" for the game stuff is not the attitude any playground baller should have much less somebody who is getting paid to play. If Hakeem is purposely not giving a 100% because he is no longer the main cog in this machine, he should hang it up right now. Franchise, Mobes, Anderson, KT, Cato, etc. are the future of this franchise. Hakeem is our glorious past. I agree we should show him some respect, but he needs to return the same respect to this franchise and this city by knowing when to quit. ------------------ The truth is out there.
Mulder, I agree that is how you SHOULD react. However, Hakeem was THE MAN, and now is just someone who is a role player. I think he is having a hard time adjusting to that. I do agree that if he is not going to give it his all, he needs to hang it up. I like Almu's suggestion of playing him until he drops. Put him in there to either get embarrassed or play. He needs some motivation, because it clearly is not there now. DaDakota
Mulder, are you talking about the time Dana walked in on you playing basketball, then you illegally hit the game-winning shot without checking the ball in? It looked like you were just trying to impress her, if you ask me...
Hey look at these nice comments made from Patrick Ewing. "I know he has things left," Ewing said. "You all said the same things about me. I am not going to fall into that trap. Hakeem was a great player, and he is still a great player." ------------------ President of the Moochie Norris FAN CLUB
Dammit, the day Patrick Ewing sticks up for Hakeem is the day something is very very wrong. ------------------ I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem.
Of course he sticks up for him, did you see how easy it was for Ewing to score. I would stick up for someone who let me score too. DaDakota
Hakeem just had a bad game yesterday. It's not that he hasn't been trying. It's just that the shots weren't falling. First of all, Hakeem doesn't get enough touches to score a 19 points like he did last year. For all of you saying "if Hakeem had the fire that Jordan had..." I got news for you. Jordan got the ball every single play. Not only that, but he's the best basketball player in the history of the NBA. Hakeem doesn't get the ball as much, so you can't expect him to average 18, 19 points a game. Plus, what motivation does Hakeem have to get into really good condition? He knows the rox aren't going anywhere and he knows that Rudy wants to develop Francis, Mobley, Shandon and all the younger people. Why then would he work as hard as Jordan and Malone did to stay in good condition? FRANKLY, I don't blame Hakeem one bit. Hakeem is not part of our long term plans, but he can still help this team win in the short term. He still puts up decent numbers in the limited minutes he gets. And as long as he helps us win, then I'm happy. Do you think that Francis and MObley care about the lottery? NO. They just care about winning and losing, and I really don't want them to end every single game with their heads down after a loss. ------------------
First of all, I hope everyone appreciates that I didn't start a new thread for this post, but took great pains reading through all the Hakeem threads to find this one. That said... I can't imagine what kind of physical difficulties Hakeem is laboring through, but he has at least accepted his role with the team. He's basically spotting other centers with a few minutes here and there, or filling in while they're injured. I don't believe his skills have deteriorated as much as they would seem. It's undoubtedly a combination of injuries, conditioning, physical ailments and the like. Have we forgotten the first month of <U>THIS</U> season before the groin pull? If Hakeem retires, fine. I wouldn't be suprised if he doesn't look for an acceptable remedy to his problems and end his career on a positive note. The Rockets will be in need of a back-up center next year whether Hakeem retires or not. I'd much rather see Hakeem coming off the bench for Cato <U>IF</U> he can return to the level he began this season at: <FONT FACE=COURIER> ------------------------------------------ MIN FGM/A FTM/A REB AST STL TO BLK PTS ------------------------------------------ 34 4-9 4-6 11 7 1 3 2 12 28 6-13 0-0 4 3 3 3 3 12 35 6-13 1-2 8 2 2 3 1 13 31 6-15 4-5 8 0 6 3 3 16 36 5-18 5-7 10 1 1 1 2 15 32 6-12 0-0 11 1 4 4 6 12 33 6-16 3-4 15 0 2 2 3 15 35 9-21 0-0 5 3 1 5 0 18 27 6-10 1-2 6 1 1 2 1 13 34 13-23 5-8 8 2 0 0 3 31 32 8-13 0-0 4 1 2 1 1 16 32 8-16 4-4 15 0 2 3 0 20 29 4-7 0-0 6 3 0 1 3 8 ------------------------------------------ 418 87-186 27-38 111 24 25 31 28 201 ------------------------------------------ 32.5 46.8% 71.1% 8.5 1.8 1.9 2.4 2.2 15.5 ------------------------------------------ </FONT> Anyway, that's my preference. Whether or not Hakeem can find the right medical treatment for his conditions, I don't know. But I'd much rather see him return as a key member of a playoff team led by Francis than a below average player on a below average team. [This message has been edited by Tb-Cain (edited March 17, 2000).]
Can we please let the Dream legacy die quietly and in peace. God, I hate to see this. In my opinion, he can still contribute. If he never played at such a high level to compare the present to, no one would be saying these things. He has been engrossed with injuries, fatigue, surgery, and the fact that he knows this is no longer his team, he deals with what we deal with too....a top 5 all time center that is in the twilight of his career, and his skills. Let it go, suck it up, live and let die! ------------------ HOOP-T Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!
It's terribly dissapointing that Hakeem isn't anywhere close to the same player he was just a few years ago. During todays game it really hit me when Bill Worrell exclaimed that Hakeem scored 6 points so far in one of the quarters. I think it was more the way he said it. I thought back to the times where that was an expected thing. We all took it for granted that Hakeem was the heart, soul and backbone of the Rockets team. That being said, I would rather Hakeem retire after this season, regardless of whether he has another year or not. It's just too painful watching him sleep-walk his way through a season like this and I just don't want to have to watch him do it again. ------------------ We're in bat country!
