re: cato myths and rumors

I'll admit that the trades weren't great, but he said untradeable. Like you said, I don't think anybody is untradeable. (even KG is in some trade talks. ) I would imagine a team in the East could want Cato if they make the playoffs, and may give up a prospect for it. JMO, though.

 

I don't think its that important for cato to start working on his post moves at this stage in his career. It's not like the Rockets will start dumping the ball to him. Maybe a simple jumphook would be nice. He just needs to learn how to catch the ball and finish. He has hands of stone. With our guards, he could easily average 10 points if he could just finish.A 10-15 jumper would also benefit our team cuz of the style we play. I also wish he had some of that explosion he had in younger days, I think that added weight hindered him.

 

haven:

Shaq/Kobe trade scenarios cannot be compared to scenarios involving Cato. They are among the top five players in the league. The only thing a Shaq scenario has to do with a Cato scenario is that they both involve speculation. One cannot provide anecdotal evidence relevant to the other.

There absolutely are teams who would be happy to have him at his current contract. Not a lot, but some. If we were set on moving him and didn't care what we got back, it would be done. Wouldn't need KT or other value to do it either.

 

If the Rockets had not wasted so much money on Cato and Rice, would RL be a Rocket right now?

That is a possible example of how a bad long term contract can hurt a franchise for years to come....

Raven

 

Umm, maybe I am missing something here..

Isn't Cato signed to a guaranteed contract?

And hasn't he already proven himself to be a lazy bum on the court?

There were many times last year, watching the games, when I was yelling at the tv about Cato not rebounding, not blocking out, not even putting his arms up in at least a token effort to play some kind of defense. Heck, it was so bad that I was convinced that I, short fat middle-aged white guy that I am, could have played more effective defense and rebounded better than he did.

Since he is going to get his money one way or the other, whether he gets splinters in his butt or works his butt off on the court in practice and in games, why would this proven lazy bum suddenly get motivated to work harder for what to him must seem like no additional rewards?

Hell, adding a guy drafted #1 only makes his excuse to be lazy even better. 'Why work hard? I am not gonna be the starter anyway. And I *still* get paid my 48 million.' I guarantee you this fat no-talent lazy bum is laughin all the way to the bank.

Don't get me wrong though - I WANT him to be a good player, and live up to his potential. But I just have never seen it in his character or in his demeanor on the court that he has the strength of will do be able to do that.

So, the big question is, how badly does it hurt the Rockets financially if they just cut bait and release him? Do they have to eat the entire contract? Or what?

It's just that I am starting to believe that it would be best to never have cato and Ming on the same team. The last thing we need is for that poisoned attitude to infect our new investment. I honestly think we would be better off with Ming and Collier than Ming and cato.. at least Collier has shown a genuine work ethic and desire to improve.

Ciao

 

The big man camp is just starting now, so Cato could not have attended back when we heard he had. But, he may well be attending as we speak. Anyone know?

 

Fantastic! Since that means my reasoning was apt. All I was trying to say is taht media trade speculation is worthless at times. You, yourself, admit the two scenarios contain that similarities.

I wonder what you thought I meant...

 

Respect.If I was playing badly, and didn't care, I may care when everywhere I go I here "you lazy ..."You know what can go in the ... He still may not care. But I would think he would be tired of this. Better late than never.

this is to Nero's post, btw.

 

not recently. During this season he gave some pretty good quotes though, probably all coached, but still better than the as usual sulking. I don't remember precisely what, I just remember being surprised.

At least he doesn't talk in the 3rd person

 

I thought you meant to add something to the discussion. We all know that trade scenarios involve speculation. I could as easily said the only thing they had in common was that they all played basketball and you could have replied the same way.

Saying that since people speculated on trades involving Shaq and Kobe and the trades didn't happen as a way of saying that trades rarely happen is a red herring. Trades happen pretty frequently. Not as often as they're discussed, by any means. But trades involving role players, overpaid or not, happen relatively often. Trades involving superstars happen very rarely.

When I was a kid I wanted to be an astronaut. I didn't become one. That's not evidence that no one who ever wanted to become an astronaut became one.

I disagree with verse about Cato's trade potential. I think we could unload him for an even worse player who is similarly overpaid but has less time on his contract. Without adding value.

 

Well, Big Man Camp started today, Monday, 8/12, according to ESPN.

I won't get into the whole Cato thing. Just want to say it isn't right to criticize him for not attending a camp that wasn't yet opened. Find out that he's not there now and then bash.

 

Actually as I remember he started busting @$$ at the end of last year and showed some decency. Folks he has the talent, if we start winning this year he should start to show up. Also look for Ming to make a push for his job. Basically I am saying that all of the conditions for him to improve are there now he already has the money so that may in fact be a detriment. If he shows nothing this year he never will, but given Ming's arrival if he was ever going to do something it is now. We'll see if it was all about the money of course some of it was but we'll see if he in fact has any fire in his belly.

 

ok, verse, you're right. Ship him out!

 

But, I'll mention that they do have Cato listed as an pro alumnus, so he's been at least once before. Even so, ship him out!

 

Not having Lewis will not hurt this franchise for years to come. Frankly i think it will help the Rockets for years to come.

 

JV, any way to find out when he went? It seems that he may have flunked. Can you flunk out of the camp? Does Newell ever throw up his hands and holler "Your outta here, big fella!".

 

On a serious note (if that's possible with Cato as the subject), I never believed this when it first popped up in konegu's (sp.?) thread about playing with Cat, etc. (give credit where credit is due for this misinformation)... but I really wanted to be wrong. Really bad. Is this guy ever going to do anything but disappoint us?

Cato, if you read this board... and you seem to have the time on your hands to do it... get some pride, man. From somewhere.