Just heard Ch 2 say they were going to have some comments too during their sports segment. Old School
"I wanted a change." I think the change he wanted was from those horrible Rockets uniforms. I can't blame him. Old School
Old School -- earlier you posted that the Rockets stated at the press conference that the first round pick they received in the deal is lottery-protected up until 2007. That seemed to suggest that the pick was the one from Seattle..... but the official report on the trade says the pick is Toronto's in 2002 (lottery-protected).... Was there any mention at the press conference of which pick this is officially? Toronto's or Seattle's?
"I don't want there to be any ill feelings," said Hakeem. I'm sure but you could have prevented much of that by not making any requests to keep the current roster together and simply saying that you were going to go where you could make the most money. Have a great time in Toronto. I hope you do well and have much respect from the team and the fans. You will find however that it is a poor substitute for the self-respect that comes from being honest about your intentions.
you mean there is a chance we are not getting Seatle's? That is awful, the pick from the Raptors will be bad. I read on a Toronto site that with Hakeem aboard (for 3 years), they are not right below the luxury tax. It also stated that the owner would not allow the Raptors to be in a position to pay the tax. So my question is why didn't the Rockets press for a center in return. Keon Clark? the raptors will not have enough money to keep him after this season anyway?
Clutch, I don't remember mentioning anything about sign and trades. I'm not up on all that info. Old School
Does anyone seriously think that Olajuwon will be happy in Toronto? Now, before you all answer--let me ask this: he complained that he wasn't being used enough in Houston and that he wasn't getting enough touches. (where's my 1 inch fiddle to play when I need it?) Now, he's going to a place where "Vinsanity" puts it up more times than Francis and Mobley put together. Not to mention he'll have to compete with Alvin Williams and Antonio Davis, too. However, it may not matter because I doubt he'll stay healthy all year. He may get a gnat to fly in his eye or he might be out with a hangnail. Yea, he's going to be real happy. Rudy, show no mercy when you play this greedy sob's team!
What was CD and Rudy thinking? I mean I understand accepting Dream's wishes and trading him but did we really have to do it for so little? I mean we coulda traded Cato for more than that. Twice in his career Dream DEMANDED a trade to leave Houston but the Rockets Could not get what they wanted in return. From all this I presume that the Rockets just jumped at the chance to get rid of Dream without looking like complete morons and making Dream look like an egotistic b*tch. Dream saw this and wanted no part in sparing with the Rockets management as he did in 1992 when everyone said he was faking an injury. He just took it like a man and decided to let us (normal rocket fans) hate him because we thought he was being egotistical and greedy. What really happend is that he saw that the Raptors could offer him more money than the Rockets so he tried to make it seem like he was leaving because of the financial situation, where in actuality he was leaving because he knew that the Rockets had NO expectations for him and he knew that they felt it was a burden to keep him on the team at all. He did the honorable thing and left leaving us Rockets fans with a false sour taste in our mouths while we think that Rockets management did everything they could to keep him when in actuallity both parties knew that Hakeem would be leaving Houston for a chance to reinvent himself with a team that had confidence in him and wanted him from the beginning. That is why with no hesitation at all, the Rockets traded away the past, present, and what could have been future, of the Houston Rockets.
OK, I can't say I understand what the hell the man is thinking right now. But let's keep what his leaving means in the long term perspective. I recall the vast wasteland of undelivered promises that was Houston sports until Dream single-handedly won the NBA title with 4 "schmos" plus Mario Elie. Houston had never, nor may ever, see another world championship in a real sport. We had Luv ya' and Leave ya' Blue (recall Gifford Nielsen, Mike Renfro, the door that was supposed to be kicked down, and a host of other failures). Then we had a couple weak performances in NBA title series (brought to you by the likes of Robert Reid, Bill Willoughby, amongst others). Astros? Pete Rose and Mike Schmidt took care of us in '80. We had Kevin "Large Mouth" Bass striking out against the Mets after Billy "Egg" Hatcher tied the game with a homer in '86. To cap it off we witnessed the debacle of Oiler playoffs in the Warren Moon years - too ugly to bring up again (Jerry Glanville, Frank Reich!!). Dream erased those memories like he did the Blazers, Suns, Jazz, and Knicks in '94 and the Jazz, Suns, Spurs, and Magic in '95. The problem is that our memories are short, and all we think about now is his last two pathetic years on the court (with the minor exception of last years stretch where we saw the "old" Dream). Perhaps Dream doesn't understand this. This is a sad day. We owe him. He may not have enough gas left in the tank, but I hope he wins another championship and brings all the joy to the Hosers that we got from him in Houston.
I just think he wanted another chance for greatness and now he'll get an ego massage and a chance at the NBA Finals and some extra pocket change. And, maybe, some frostbite (trust me, Dream: I lived in Iowa, and that was cold enough for me, thank you very much). This was the best way both sides could dance around Hakeem's departure. For Dream, it was that last flirtation with the soon-to-be-ex-wife: is it really over? Should we make it work even if we're both simply reconciled rather than actually happy?
i just cant help thinking about when Barkley took the one million exception for the team.that kind of stuff is gone now.
Don't believe for one second that Barkley only got $1mil. Maybe on paper he did, but there was wink wink deal under the table somewhere. I understand he has a really nice new home in Phoenix and a not so shabby one in Sugarland. Personally, I hate to see Dream go. Hey, if someone wants to pay him the money to see him play his 10 minutes a game, then more power to them!
His best chance at another ring lies east of the Mississippi (and north of the border, apparently). In the West he gets blown away, but in the East he is a dominant 5 again. The Rox have a very good chance of making noise in the WC playoffs the next two to three years. Toronto (w/ a good C) has a very good chance at winning the Eastern finals at least once during that span. Once they get to the league finals it is always anyone's game. There is no guarantee that the Lakers are a lock for another championship. Anything can happen, Shaq or no Shaq. He wants a 3rd ring, and the route he has taken is the surest way to get one. The Rox probably wouldn't have been able to get him to the Finals (carry him there, in his present state). Toronto probably can. I can't blame him for taking the easier route to a 3rd ring. The decision making process is simple seen in that context (keeping in mind the time frame): Rockets, longshot for another ring; Raptors, opportunity to face down Shaq for another ring, with Vinsanity to offset Kobe... The choice is easy. Good luck, Hakeem. I hope you become your old self when you get to the Finals. Unless, of course, by some fluke of mad determined play by Steve & Cat you face US...
Winning makes everyone happy, so unless a injury occurs to VC or Davis, Dream will be happy in Toronto. I don't think Dream complained to much when Clyde took some of his touches but Clyde helped us to a championship. He didn't complain when CB came here, because CB helped him win. Granted the changing of the offesnive philosophy didn't help but Dream complained more once we started losing. I only wish Dream would have told us sooner what he was doing. Dang I wish we went after C-webb. I don't know if he would have came here, but I wish we would have tried. Especially since Dream told us to keep the team together. As for why we didn't get Keon. I think it may be the work of SATAn double-dealing. He sets up a S&T to help the Rockets and Dream but doesn't want the Rockets to take on any more salaries so he can get Moocie & SA more $$$.
