IMO these are the two the Rockets should target if they don't go after Webber. Both appear to have the ability to shore up the 5 spot for the next 8 years or so. Here is a quick brake down of the two players. Nazr is a free agent and can be signed with out loosing anything. Raef is under contract and would require trade that could cost us someone important but a trade would also help with the salery cap burden and make it possible to resign some other free agents such as Moochie Norris. Both players are about the same hieght: Nazr is 6'10" 240lbs and Raef is 6'11" 240lbs. Both players have the same f/g% at .477 although Raef has a better shot from outside. Nazr is the better rebounder of the two avging just over 16 boards per 48 minutes and is an ok shot blocker at almost 2 per 48 minutes. Raef is the superior shot blocker at 4 per 48 minutes and is an adiquate rebounder at 12 boards per 48 minutes Nazr avgs about 19 shots per 48 minutes and Raef avgs about 16 shots per 48 minutes. Both players are capable of scoring double digets but would probably be the 5th scoring option on our team. Nazr is the superior offensive rebounder of the two and might actually get more offensive chances than Raef because of that. Raefs avg rebounding for a 5 would not be bad playing in the same front court as Griffin. Raefs shot blocking combined with Griffins could give the Rockets one of the better interior deffenses in the league. Nazrs Rebounding along with Griffins rebounding could really help the Rockets limit the opposition to one shot and give the Rockets tons of fast break opertunities. IMO we should concentrate our efforts on Nazr first. I think he offers a little more of what out team needs than Raef...low post reboundin. As the 5th offinsive option he will have more chances to help our team IMO than Raef because of his ability to get offensive rebounds. As a free agent he is only a phone call away where as Denver is going to want something substantial for Raef. If we sign Nazr to a contract at around 5 mil we should still have enough to sign Mo and Moochie. One last point. I think shanna made the statement that Dream should not be the focas of our free agent hunt since he well not even be here when this whole rebuilding proccess is complete. I would love to have Dream back but would not pay more than 5 or 6 mil to keep him and if he can't be reached for negotiations then I would move on to Mo, Mooch and Nazr and dream could take what ever was left or move on. He knows what the Rockets situation is and needs to be here if he wants his peice of the pie. In any event we should not risk our future on someone that will be gone in two years and may not resign with us anyway. ------------------
I'd take Nazr simply because he can be signed through the Free Agent process. I believe Raef is the better player; his outside shot would be a nice help and his shot-blocking would also help us big time. The problem is that we'll have to lose some of our players to get Raef, but it would be great if we could trade Shandon + Cato or something like that, though I doubt that trade would work cap-wise. ------------------ its not the hours you put in your work that counts, it's the work you put in the hours - alaskansnowman
I take Raef. I don't have confidence in Nazr. Raef has been very strong consistently in his starting role though. I'd take him in a heartbeat. My only worry with him is injury. How would we get him here though? ------------------ CC.net's most courteous driver Oh yeah, and I'm looking for a job right now, so hire me please
I would also like to sign Jerome Williams or Calvin Booth ,Antonio Davis (old but the best we can get), David Robinson (better than hakeem) ,Chris Webber , Todd MacCulloch and Marc Jackson . ------------------
I'd love to see Nazr in a Rox uni. Excellent pick-up. I'd take him and Raef over AD and CW. More potential. ------------------ Gascon
Did you not see the Rockets-Lakers series in 1999? Olajuwon was coming off an injury plagued 1997-1998 campaign, and had a surprising 3rd Team All NBA campaign. He was our number one scorer that year with Pippen and Barkley. But he was downright embarassed by Shaq. It was just a thorough domination. You should have seen this board right after the series, we all thought the big fella should have retired. None of us wanted to even have a mere illusion that our hero could be so overwhelmed. Robinson had a better series against the Lakers than Olajuwon did 2 years earlier. And Olajuwon is currently even more a shell of himself from the 1999 season. ------------------ [This message has been edited by Da Man (edited July 07, 2001).]
Raef is clearly the better center but its a moot point because the Rockets have no amunition to get Raef. Cato? KT? Shandon? I dont think so. Go after Nazr. We can get him without Denver lauging at our trade offers. ------------------ .,.·^*'´'|'\..........,.·^*'´¯¯¯'`*^·,...,/|'`*^·-, '|.......'|::\......,·'.....,.·:*:·,......'`i:'|.......| '|.......'|:::|.....;.......':,:::,:·.......';:|.......| '|.......|::;i - ·;i'`:,......¯¯.......,·´|::|.......| '|.......'´.......'|'i:::`*:~·.–·~^*'´: :'|::|.......'`*·-, '|........,.-:^:':'\:'`:;:: :: : : : :: ::;·'i::/`':^·.,......`'i '|..,.:'´:::::::::::'\| '`*^~·:–:·~^*'´..'|/:::::::::'`:^:., | '´:;:::::::::;:-·^*'´.....................`'*^·:;-.....:;·' ....`·;:·'´........................................'`^·:;·´
Nazr would be a great pickup. He's gives us what we need and doesn't have as much market value as Antonio Davis despite their stats being close to one another. Especially since Nazr plays less and is much younger. ------------------ Da da da da......da da da.....da da.....da..
I think that raef is better suited to be a 4 but that is just my opinion. I would like the rockets to go after Nazr just becuase he is a free agent and the rockets wont have to give anyother player for him. However I think that Raef is going to be a free agent next year isnt he. SO why dont we sign dream to a one year contract for 5 to 6 million then prusue Raef next year ------------------
I would take Raef over Nazr for many reasons, the predominant one being I am very unconvinced that Nazr will ever amount to much more than he is already, whereas Raef has established himself as a solid role player who would fit our sytem perfectly in a shorter time. I would like to ask those in the know, what salary workable deal would it take to get LaFrentz in a Rockets uniform? ------------------
I'd prefer LaFrentz. The stats may be close, but Raef got his #'s in the WC. That said, Mohammed woudn't disapppoint me. Off topic, but signing Chis Webber almost certainly means no Olajuwon. Nazr Mohammed has got to be a serious contender...and the price would be in line with what cap $ remains after Webber's big contract. Can I dream for just a moment?...... 5) LaFrentz / Collier 4) Webber / KT / Griff / Bull 3) Griff / (Langhi/TRock) / Bull 2) Cat / Steve / (Langhi/TRock) 1) Steve / Moochie ------------------ Raef to Rocks in '01-'02! [This message has been edited by GATER (edited July 07, 2001).] [This message has been edited by GATER (edited July 07, 2001).]
Francis_Rules, No way is David Robinson better than hakeem. Even back in the day Hakeem was better, and he still is. Robinson is the second option on offense on his team, and still cant produce on a consistent basis, as seen in the lakers series. Hakeem on the other hand, is at best the third option, does not have many plays run for him, and still manages to score at a pretty good pace. The season stats for this year might not prove my point, but thats cuz hakeem was coming off an injury and it took him time to get back into his groove. ------------------ PrOuD V-P of Whitey Deluxe, Danforth Langford, and any other langhi fan club there may be...
Raef is scheduled to make 3.775 mil next year with Denver over the cap. If we renounce Dreams contract we will be under the contract. So if we trade for Raef its they would be limited to who they could except from us. No Walt, no Cato as they would excede their cap by more then they would be giving up unless we excepted some of their unwanted salery to go with Raef. Maybe Kenny Thomas and a draft pick could get it done. I don't know. ------------------
we need a 3rd team involved to help us steal LaFrenze from Denver, it might be the Sonics! Den. gets: Payton Sea. gets: Van Exel, Cato, Collier, and a 1st Rd. pick from Houston Hou. get: LaFrenze, Barry How does it works for Denver: Salary Out: Van Exel($9.09mil)+LaFrenze($3.75mil)=$12.84 mil Salary In: Payton=$12.40 LaFrenze is a trouble-maker in Denver. They tried to move him during the past season. Payton + McDyess w/ a supporting cast of Willis, Posey, and Lenard will make Denver a serious playoff contender. How does it works for Seattle: Salary Out: Payton($12.40mil)+Barry ($4.68mil)=$17.08 mil Salary In: Van Exel($9.09mil)+Cato($6mil)+ Collier($1.28mil)=$16.37 mil Like every off-season, Payton is asking to be traded. Seattle is trying to rebuild the team. So, it makes sense to trade Payton for a younger star PG(Van Exel, 29); and also get a future 1st Rd pick. If thay can get Taylor via FA they'll have a young exciting team of Van Exel, Patterson, Lewis, Taylor, and Cato. How does it works for Houston: Salary Out: Cato($6mil)+Collier($1.28) =$7.28 mil Salary In: LaFrenze($3.75mil)+Barry ($4.68mil)=$8.43 mil it'll be like a dream come true! steal LaFrenze and get rid of Cato 2-in-1. we still have all the cap space to pursue the top FAs. imo, I like A. Davis($8~$9 mil), Dream($5~$6 mil), and Moochi(Early Bird) the line-up could be: Dream, LaFranze Davis, Thomas Griffin, T-Rock Mobley, Barry Francis, Norris ------------------ Yes I'm new here
I would love this scenario for the Rockets, but I don't think Seattle would bite on the deal. A all-star pg and a decent shooting guard is way too much to give up for a semi-star pg, a huge lazy center, a mid to late first rounder and Collier. I think we'd have to give up someone better than Collier to get Seattle to do this. Would it work salary-wise if we gave them KT and kept Collier? I would hate to give up KT, but Seattle probably likes him a lot more than Collier. They remember the game where Kenny blocked a shot by Patterson and took it the length of the court to win the game... ------------------ http://www.cld9.com/chris/nbau.html
you got to know that, the "all-star PG" is 33 yr old, thinking about retirement, and asking to be traded. the "decent shooting guard" has a contract worth $15.12 Million for the next 3 years. everyone in Houston knows Cato is lazy and a wasted talent. but believe or not, he has more trade value than you think. Like you said, K.T. is too much to give up! ------------------ Yes I'm new here
Wow 15.12 million! That makes me look at it a little differently. Seattle must be more desperate to get rid of Barry than we are to get rid of Cato. At least Cato is big and good for two-handed alley-oops and blocks. I knew Barry was rotting away on the Seattle bench behind Mason and Lewis and now even Radmanovic, but 15 million! Also, this is the same Seattle team that signed Jim McIlvane to a huge contract...a lazy Cato is 10x better than McIlvane anyday. ------------------ http://www.cld9.com/chris/nbau.html
I doubt this trade would ever go through, but I like to crunch numbers, so here goes. KT could be substituted for Collier & it would still work on our part. However, Payton has a trade kicker that adds $1,875,000 to his next years salary. In order to make the 3 way trade work cap wise, Denver would have to send another $1.45 mill in players to Seattle or the Rockets(preferably Seattle). They have 3 players that would fit the salary requirement: Cheaney($2,400,000), McCloud($2,400,000), & Radojevic($1,524,600). Throw in one of those players & the deal would work, cap wise anyway. I'd do it, but I'd rather give up KT than Collier. You can't teach height & we'd still have enough cap space to resign our guys & maybe make a push for JYD or Outlaw for depth behind MO. What would make this unreal deal even sweeter, would be to find a team that wants Walt & can absorb his salary without sending out any players in a 3 team trade. We could send Walt to the third team, Orlando would send Outlaw to us & a #1 draft pick to the team that absorbs Walt's contract. We would then have somewhere in the neighborhood of $6 mill to offer Dream. That'd give us a lineup of: C: Dream/LaFrentz/Collier PF: MO/Outlaw/Griffin SF: Griffin/Langhi/Bull/T-Mo SG: Mobley/Barry/T-Mo PG: Francis/Moochie You could put T-Mo on IR or not resign Bull. Ain't it great, when you dream? ------------------ Nothing is impossible, if you believe it's possible. [This message has been edited by Hottoddie (edited July 08, 2001).] [This message has been edited by Hottoddie (edited July 08, 2001).]
I like Nazr, simply because he would be easier to get. The Rockets need interior scoring even though most of their scoring will come from farther out. Taylor can provide that scoring. Taylor is not the greatist rebounder, so that is why I think they need another big man even if they keep Dream. If by chance Webber is landed there is scoring and rebounding all rolled into one. He probably won't be in Houston, so how about working on a platoon of big men led by Dream. Keep Dream, they will be forced to keep Cato, keep Collier (IR), and bring in Nazr. Great teams have won with worse platoons than that at center (Bill Cartwright, Will Purdue, Bill Weddington, Cliff Levinston).
