All Kevin Willis needs to do is to show Cato how to be a professional. If that is the ONLY thing Willis does for this team, then it is a GREAT deal. Willis is a solid player, and it clearly shows that Rudy and CD want to win THIS year. I like what I see out of the Rockets, we are truly blessed to have this front office. DaDakota
I agree, DaDakota, Kevin is a really decent addition -- better than Mason, who plays 4 or 3, because Willis plays 4 or 5. He is not a threat to Cato or even the Griffin because he is at the end of his career. He will command enough minutes to help but not so many as to r****d the Griffin's development nor derail Cato's new intensity. He can even be thrown into the mix with both Cato at center, Willis at PF and the Griffin at SF -- that should be a stopper lineup for the end of close games! I wish Willis had longer arms and bigger hands, but that's nitpicking. Willis has no baggage and comports himself in a professional manner. I can't even remember if Willis has any tattoos (sorry, people, I tend to think of them as self-mutilation, but then again I'm from an older generation). Lastly, Willis is a short-term solution without any complications for the Rocket's future. Is he in the last year of his contract? I'm not sure. I am sure that he will provide the bulk the Rockets needed, and we can still go shopping for an incredible hulk center of the future either now or next draft.
DD, AMEN BROTHER!! Talk about making lemonade out of lemons: Taylor out for the season, Jackson gets whisked away by the mindless, bungling GSW's, and we still make off like bandits. Willis' toughness, professionalism, work ethic, and veteran leadership will be a huge plus for this talented but still very young team.
Did you catch the comments by the Nuggets? They are TICKED! <b>Nuggets point guard Nick Van Exel wasn't pleased with the deal. "He's a double-double every night for us since McDyess is out," said Nick. "And we definitely need that right now out of a big man. It will be tough, that's all I can say." Nuggets coach Dan Issel also noted the only disappointing part of the deal was it helped the Midwest-rival Rockets solve some of their problems in the middle. Added Willis, "I know what I can do for a team, even though it's my 18th season." </b> Considering we had until 11 p.m. to make a deal or let the exception expire, this was a GREAT deal.
Nugz got the same thing for Willis that we got for Olajuwon, a first round pick. They also got a solid player in Williams, who might be around longer than another season or 2. For a 39 year old guy, you have to make that deal, especially when your team's dead in the water like Denver is. NVE can go blow it out his ***.
Great post, DD. Couldn't agree with you more! What did Bill & Calvin say about Willis once, that Willis was "...a big man who loves being BIG...", who loves to walk around, flexing his muscles, pushing people around, being tough and physical. If Cato can get anything from Willis, I hope he adopts that "enforcer" mentality Willis has, as well as his professionalism and toughness. But then again, I also want to win the lottery one day.
Willis will be a better fit than Jackson or Hakeem. Basically we just got a player back to fill Hakeem's void.
Nope. I'm afraid you are mistaken. Check out this site sometime, it's a good source of information: www.clutchcity.net/rockets.cfm
DaDakota,Kevin is a professional that Cato can learn a lot from.Especially the importance of remaining fit and being ready to play.He is a quite type of a guy that might set an example by his behavior off and on the court.
The Bucks sent Scott Williams and a future first-rounder to Denver while the Nuggets traded Aleksandar Radojevic and Willis to the Bucks, who sent Willis to the Rockets for a second round pick in 2002.
Willis needs to show Griffin the ropes and instill some of that hard nosed work ethic in the boy, and that rebounding ability.
The Bucks sent Scott Williams and a future first-rounder to Denver while the Nuggets traded Aleksandar Radojevic and Willis to the Bucks, who sent Willis to the Rockets for a second round pick in 2002. . Although the Rockets gave up a 2nd rounder to the Bucks, Denver got a 1st rounder from Milwaukee. Bucks basically gave up a 1st rounder to get a 2nd and clear some salary - that's why they are the ones who got the short end of the deal.
From the front page: I don't care if Willis averages 2.3ppg, 1.3rpg, while shooting 23% from the field; this trade was brilliant. It's not about Willis, but rather Cato. A professional like Willis can take Cato under his wing and teach him the big man's game. As I've said before, no player on this current roster is more important to this franchise's success than Kelvin Cato. As status-quo, this team struggles to win 30 games this year. With an inspired Cato, this team pushes 60 wins this year. With an inspired Cato, this team is a perennial contender.
Short end of the deal? I don't think so. They free up money to sign Mason, the tough enforcer who rebounds and scores. Exactly the type player they needed. The Bucks have to be the favorites in the east now.
Interesting how a guy who has never played with Cato thinks he needs to RE-FOCKASS , what surprise and nice use of Dream's favourite word.
I picked up on that too. I think TRex is a nice guy but I thought that was a little pretentious for him to publicly make that statement at this point in time. If Cato heard that, I wonder what he would have thought about the comment considering how well Cato is playing so far.
You know what? Who cares what Cato thinks ! If anything, it should alert him to what the rest of the league thinks about his sorry slacker butt !! We need to quit treating these millionaires like babies, and make them deal with the responsibilties of being a professional. Kelvin has talent, but no work ethic, maybe Willis can teach him how important that is, and what benefits can come from hard work. DaDakota
