nice signing! It'll be nice to have dikembe's presence felt on the court. Miss the finger wagging!!! Dike will teach anybody to never dunk on yao again!
Uncle Mu is back! Finally. Happy new year! http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/12/30/mutombo.rockets.ap/index.html
Mutombo, 42, signs with Rockets Story Highlights Dikembe Mutombo is back with the Rockets, returning for his 18th season The 42-year-old Mutombo will serve as a backup to center Yao Ming The shot-blocking ace appeared in 39 games for Houston last season Dikembe Mutombo, 42, supplants Sam Cassell as the NBA's oldest active player. NBA Team Page HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Rockets re-signed 42-year-old center Dikembe Mutombo for the remainder of the season on Tuesday, adding an emotional leader and a backup to Yao Ming. Mutombo, who supplants 39-year-old Sam Cassell as the league's oldest active player, appeared in 39 games for Houston last season, logging most of his minutes after Yao broke his left foot in February. Mutombo averaged five rebounds, three points and 1.2 blocks. The Congolese-born Mutombo became a free agent after last season and contemplated retirement before deciding to come back for an 18th season. The Rockets' win-loss record dropped to 20-12 on Monday after an embarrassing 89-87 loss to Washington. Nearly every player on the Houston roster has missed games due to injury this season and Yao has sat out at least 25 games because of injuries over the past three seasons. Mutombo started 25 games last season, mostly after Yao broke his foot, and averaged 16 minutes per game. The Rockets traded Steve Francis to Memphis on Christmas Eve, creating salary space to add Mutombo, the NBA's second-leading career shot blocker behind Hakeem Olajuwon. The Rockets play Milwaukee on Wednesday and Mutombo was expected to join the team, though it's not known when he'll start playing again. The 7-foot-2 Mutombo has played for six NBA teams -- Denver, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and Houston. Mutombo's teams have made the playoffs in 13 of his 17 seasons in the league, including three of his previous four with the Rockets. He averaged 14 points and 14 rebounds to help Philadelphia reach the NBA finals in 2001. The Rockets have lost six straight playoff series and haven't advanced to the second round since 1997. Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Oops, Sir Jackie Chiles already posted it. And I can't delete my own thread. Now I'm embrassed. Either way, I feel happy and relieved that he comes back. The Rockets have a leader again.
This now raises question to our PF position. What will become of Hayes? He is going to become a completely situation player, perhaps something like Luther Head. I like Hayes as a player, but his offense is so bad that even wide open layups are 50% shots to him. Although Mutombo is not an offensive machine, his height at least gives him the ability to finish plays more reliably, like dunking. Not to mention, Mutombo does shoot a jumper once in a while that will go in.
I don't it would be an issue with Hayes. he is still valuable to us. of course he has always been a situational player for us, so as Deke.
This should be an upgrade for defense and locker room morale, i am always a fan of Deke. However, this should not be the last piece of the puzzle if Rockets really want and be able to do something in the playoff
I just realized that this will be Dikembe's 5th season with the Rockets, which matches his 5 seasons with the Nuggets and 5 seasons with the Hawks, although he obviously won't play as many game as he did with those franchises. I just find that interesting.
