There are center options available and we know them all - Jackson, White, etc. Barring a trade to bring in a long-term solution at center, I want Cato on the floor this year. I want to know if they guy sucks or not, once and for all. We talk about his poor play and his lazy attitude. Fine. Let's let him prove that is who he is once and for all and get it over with. It seems fairly obvious that there are no takers for his services around the league or he'd probably be wearing a different uni by now. So, get that fat $40+ million out on the floor and give it a go. I mean, play that guy 30+ minutes for as many games as it takes to determine if he is a total loser like many here believe or a guy who is worthy of that type of action over the long haul. IMO, the Rockets have the talent to be successful this year but how much they can/will improve will be based a lot on the improvement and failure of others as much as it will be on us. So, since this is truly a young team designed to learn and grow together, to use a fun Texas saying, let's run Cato up the damn flagpole and see who salutes. If he blows chunks, yank him and deal with it. But, at least give the guy time on the floor to prove us wrong or right. Then, we'll all know for sure.
I agree wholeheartedly! Let his lazy bum self play 30-35 minutes even if he hates it. Lets find out if that potential will ever be realized.
You know, if freaking Lamar Odom could play in a summer league game why couldn't Cato's lazy @ss play in a summer league game! I don't know what to make of Cato, is he lazy? Is he out of shape? Does he suck? I don't know, because just when you want to say one thing, you think of another. You want to say that he sucks, but that preseason he had a few years ago wasn't a fluke. He wasn't hitting crazy shots he was playing an all-around game. Once he got that contract though, he just went down the drain. I don't know, but I still feel that Cato can be another Theo Ratliff, with more athletic physical ability. And if he taps into that next year Houston could be a 4 seed. This is a guy, when motivated, who has played pretty good defense on Shaq, and is big. Oh well, we'll see. I agree with Jeff. Play the guy into the ground, lets see what we got.
Absolutely! With 30+ minutes of playing time, I think Cato will really put up good numbers. I believe in Kelvin.
Absolutely I agree with you, Jeff. I think Cato, while he most likely will never live up to that ill-fated preseason, will surprise some and put up decent numbers starting this next season. If he could just stay healthy, I think he could be close to what we need out of the center position.
Not a bad approach at all, if I understand it. We know the coaches can get nothing out of Cato, but for part of last season they did have Hakeem so it was not as big a deal. If I understand Jeff right, he wants to put Cato on the floor and tell the others with the good chemistry, heres your center and he seems to be lazy so see what you can get out of him. Between Steve, Cat, Mo, Anderson, even Bull riding his ass to get to work as he is letting them down, it just might work.
Agreed, but I think there should be a greater responsibility on the rest of the team to get Cato to play his best ball, especially Steve now that he's the team leader. Nothing could be better for this next season then to see Kelvin live up to all the expectations.
Cato will never live up to some of the expectations I have seen. A lot of people expected him to average 20 points, 12 boards, and 8 blocks in every game, but that won't happen. I do see him pulling off 10-9-2.5, however. That would be fantastic!
I think picking up a center wouldnt be bad because When cato gets injured, I dont want a 2nd year injury guy in collier to take his spot. Collier still has some learning to do because he barley played 10 seconds last year. Ok the 99% cato haters ( Im one too). Cato does have alot of skills. But the thing is after the contract, he doesnt have to work for anything because he is going to be payed no matter what he does for the next 5 years. I think sticking his ass in the game for 30 minutes and even when he pulls those stupid touch fouls that he purposley does so he can sit on the bench and flirt with the cheerleaders, I say let him play through it. It will make him work harder and show some improvment, but all in all, I rather have JAHIDI WHITE!.. GO JAHIDI!.
I wouldn't mind getting him if his contract was smaller, I think they should give Cato one more season to prove himself, then make a decision. Two mediocre centers with big contracts doesn't sit right with me.
If Cato goes down then I say sign Pig Miller or Carlos Rogers. Both should/maybe available during the season.
Great piece Jeff! If only there was something we as fans could do to make him play better, but you're right, it's all on him. Cato is the key!
I totally agree with you Jeff. If our rockets are going to pay him the money they are then he should start. I know when Cato got his contract he wasn't necessarally expected to come in and be our starting center right away but he was expected to replace dream when he retired or in this case was traded. I think he took advanged of this and knew he had a couple of years to develop and got lazy. Now that dream is gone it's time for Cato to step up and be our starting center as expected. He had his time on the bench and now needs to start. If we do get another center I would expect it to be someone that will backup Cato. I doubt the rockets would use future cap space and sign a center player to a long term deal and pay Cato at the same time. I definitely think we need another center but to backup Cato since JC might be still injured. All and All I think we can still match up with the best in the league by beating them at our 1,2,3,4 positions while having a weak but deep center position(Bulls, Suns, Jazz).
I don't think we have much choice on putting Cato on the floor. Who else is there? I would be very happy if he got 10 pts/8 boards a game and blocked some shots. If he goes 10/8 I think we're playoff material for sure.
Only one cure for Cato, and Chicago's got it: Charles Oakley. I know what a loud mouth he is, and how much people around here hate him. But truth is, if we had dealed KT and a second rounder for him, we would've been definite playoff material. Now, forget that. I think Jeff's absolutely right. Put Cato out there. ONE important thing is for him to know that HE's the first option at C. I'm sure he can, and barring someone starting over him, he will.
Jeff, good post. The sea has parted and this is Cato's time to "step up," as they say in sports jargon. This is his time to shine. And what is key is that we don't need him to do anything he is not capable of doing....simply rebound, block some shots, and hang around for easy alleyoops and offensive putbacks. He does not need to be an offensive force. Any inside game he develops beyond that would be a bonus. He is one of the most perplexing athletes I have ever witnessed. He was boldly strutting about how good he could and would be in his first couple of years, IF HE WAS ONLY GIVEN A CHANCE. I remember when Dallas traded first round picks to NOT pick him several years ago; he berated them for choosing whomever they chose and swore that he would come back to haunt them. Well, that ain't happened yet! His body language exudes a lack of confidence and he seems to do things which sabotage, or somehow get in the way of any success he might have. In short, he IS a head case. I hope they he can break through the "wall" this year. It will be his teammates, not the coaches, who must challenge and stay on him, not allowing any excuses. I am an acknowledged Cato basher and am highly skeptical, but hope I am proven wrong. More than anything, it's his attitude that irks me. If he does blossom, the sky is the limit for this crew. He has the red carpet laid out for him..........
