With all the major veteran FA's making commitments to other teams (assuming they keep those commitments), Dream is sure sitting pretty to have all the remaining teams fighting over him. If money is his main motivation, then Chicago, Detroit, L.A. Clippers & Houston are the only teams that can fill that need without a sign & trade, & I doubt that Houston will do that unless it's extremely advantageous. One report indicated that Chicago offered Davis $65 mill to join them. What would they offer Dream, if he let everyone know that he's available? I'd bet that Krause would make him a better offer than the Rockets would be willing to match. As far as Webber, it's beginning to look more & more like he'll return to Sacramento next year. That leaves players like Marc Jackson, Nazr Mohammed, & Todd MacCulloch available & for teams looking to add veteran leadership, Dream stands head & shoulders above those players in that regards, even with his recent injuries. With two Championship rings, who's to say what his experience might be worth to another organization? So, the main question is, what does Dream want more, $10 mill per or another ring? He's probably going to have to settle for one or the other, but Houston gives him the best blend of both (albeit, at reduced levels). In any event, with all the early player commitments, he & Fegan have brilliantly (with a little lady luck thrown in) positioned themselves to make that choice. ------------------ A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.
With Dream's $10 mil demand to us, I am quite certain that getting another ring is not high on Dream's list of priorities. He could have been willing to sign for the veteran minimum, enabling us to possibly land Webber. A team that stacked would have had an excellent chance at winning a ring this year or the next. Hakeem wasn't interested in that. I guess he is content with the 2 championship rings he has. ------------------ Rockets need power forward. Mo near now. Go near Mo. You can Run from the bet, you can Rave at the bet...but you just can't hide. [This message has been edited by Raven Lunatic (edited July 13, 2001).]
Dream is beginning piss me off. Either this guy Fegan really has a major influence on Hakeem, or Hakeem is just being a big headed athlete. Im guessing it's both of these things that give Hakeem the gall to not return Rudy T's phone calls. Hakeem doesn't even deserve to mix and mingle with the new breed of Hosuton Rockets, much less play with them, except for Kelvin Cato, them two can have sushi together, but the rest he should not even acknowledge, considering his building indifference to them and their personal, future concerns. ------------------
How does anybody on this board know for certain that Hakeem is not returning Rudy's phone calls. Why does Hakeem have to talk to Rudy during this time of the year anyway, didnt he hire an agent for that. It's just business. ------------------
Two very respected posters on this board with inside sources, Doc Rocket & Oeilpere, have indicated it. Agreed. It is just a business & the tactic that they seem to have chosen is what my original post alluded to. The only problem with this tactic is, that it could possibly hurt the Rocket's chances of negotiating with other FA's to replace Dream, if he doesn't come down on his salary demands. The longer it takes, the less FA's that will be available to us. ------------------ A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still. [This message has been edited by Hottoddie (edited July 13, 2001).] [This message has been edited by Hottoddie (edited July 13, 2001).]
Did Dream demand 10 million a YEAR, or over TWO years? If over one year....then i think we can bring it down to 12 million over two... ------------------
I agree. ------------------ Rarely is the question asked: Guns kill squirrels than REDRUM to fools across the nation?
$10 mill per year is what has been reported. If it had been $10 mill total for 2 years, then the deal would've already been done. I don't know what the Rockets have offered Dream, but my guess would be about $3-4 mill less than he wants per year. ------------------ A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.
I thought I read somewhere that the Rockets were in direct contact with Hakeem's agent. Maybe it was on the Sporting News. Anyway, if that is the case, then all this Dream-bashing is pure bull****! ------------------ Protrolls.com! "I want to be like Olajon." -Sagana Diop has the right idea... Keep the ???? alive!
He didn't demand anything. That number came from Peter Vecsey. Funny, isn't it? ------------------ "I guess that's YOUR theory"
Man, Dream bashers need to take it easy. I remember sitting through two Oilers losses in the AFC Championship to Bradshaw and Co., Astros losses to the Phillies and Mets in 81 & 86, Rockets losses to Celtics in 81 & 86, Oliers again against Denver AND KC AND (dare I mention it) BUFFALO. All this losing until Dream put the city on his broad shoulders and miraculously & singlehandedly changed Houston from CHOKE CITY to Clutch City (Hence this bbs you are all bashing him on). Shame on you all. If he is weighing his options and even playing a little hard to get, he deserves our utmost respect, even if we disagree with his methods or motives. ------------------
How much ca$h do you think Dream has in the bank? Like maybe a mountain or so? Sure he wants to be paid what he thinks he is worth, but do you think he just wants to go to the highest bidder? ------------------ This space left intentionally blank...
Dream bashing, blah, blah, blah. I just don't want the organization tying up money in a 38 year old, injury prone center. A one year deal would be fine. And Hakeem didn't singlehandedly change Houston from Clutch City, to Choke City, he had teammates out there. Dream doesn't get a second championship if Mario Elie doesn't hit that 3 against Phoenix. He doesn't win a championship his first year if Kenny Smith and Sam Cassell doesn't step up and contribute. And if he deserves our utmost respect, doesn't he owe THE ROCKETS!? You know, the team that gave him the supporting cast to win a championship after being in the league 10 years!? ------------------ "Instruments are like women: After a while, you want to make love to another." - Nicolas Godin of the musical duo Air
I have no idea what Dream actually wants. I don't blame him one bit for trying to get as much money as possible, after all, it's just business. That part is between the team & Dream & personally, I don't care how much he makes. All I want is for the organization to put the best product that they can on the floor. If, as The Freak indicated, the $10 mill number didn't come from Dream, & as Doc Rocket & Oeilpere have indicated, Dream isn't available to discuss a new contract, then that brings up another question. Has Dream or his agent actually made a contract proposal yet? I can't believe that any businessman would make no initial contact at all, which brings me to another question that no one has even suggested. Could Dream be contemplating retirement? Maybe, he's doing some soul searching & isn't sure if he wants to play anymore. Being in the dark really sucks! ------------------ A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.
RocksMill sez: "And Hakeem didn't singlehandedly change Houston from Clutch City, to Choke City, he had teammates out there. Dream doesn't get a second championship if Mario Elie doesn't hit that 3 against Phoenix. He doesn't win a championship his first year if Kenny Smith and Sam Cassell doesn't step up and contribute." You've got to be kidding. More than Jordan with the Bulls, more than Magic with the Lakers, Zeke, Bird, Moses, Duncan, or any other past champion, Hakeem delivered the Campionship to his (Choke) City. Every championship team HAS a supporting cast, but NO PLAYER has taken his team to the Ring without A SINGLE OTHER ALL STAR on his team. The best thing you can say for The Jet, Cassell et al is that there were no doubts about whose coattails they were riding and they knew it. You apparently don't (or maybe you weren't around for the "Choke" years. Maybe you got your first Rockets jersey after '94). Without Cassell or The Jet (or both) there still could have been a championship run, without Hakeem there would not have been a playoff game. What I'm saying is that you don't even have to want Hakeem on the team, but to degrade his personality, his ethics, the criteria and method he uses to conduct his business (when we are all basically ignorant of what is really happening) is typical of today's Johnny-come-lately what have you done for me attitude. (MAYBE he still wants the big bucks 'cause he never signed a $100 million shoe contract- opting instead to insist on a cheaper shoe the poor folk could afford). The Man DESERVES Houston's EVERLASTING gratitude. It makes me sick that some of you guys are ready to hump Eddie Griffins shins when he hasn't played a single NBA game, while callin Dream all kinds of stuff out of the sides of your mouth. Before I said you should be ashamed, now I realize you have no shame. ------------------
That was beautiful HayesStreet. ------------------ Protrolls.com! "I want to be like Olajon." -Sagana Diop has the right idea... Keep the ???? alive!
