I was always fond of the "lets trade Buck Johnson, David Wood, and Tim McCormick for Michael Jordan" trade speculation. I never understood why the Bulls wouldnt go for it.
I see Ming playing 30-33 mins per game. My ONLY concern is that Ming will hit the wall, around midseason. If that happened, THEN Cato would have some worth. However, I don't have high aspirations for the Rockets this year, and am willing to "sacrafice" a little this year, for the future. I know this differs from most of the fans who expect/want playoffs this year, even if it means having Cato for another 3-4 years. I won't be devestated if the Rockets miss out on the playoffs. I just want to see some improvement from last year. Essentially, I will be looking at things other than just W's and L's this year.
Move Cato now? I completely disagree. We do not need draft picks to help in the future or any player that the Knicks have. We need to win now, starting this year, not next. And we need Cato as our back up Center. Until Yao is ready for 40 minutes a night at the Center position, we need a viable back up center. Cato might be overpaid, but he is a viable back up -- a very good one actually, considering the rest of the NBA. Without Cato, either Collier, Taylor or Griffin will have to step in at Center. Taylor is not suited for the spot, Griffin is not big enough yet for extended minutes there and Collier, well, he is Collier and I shudder at the thought that he gets significant playing time. I have him starting the year on the IR with some type of vague foot or hip problem. Do not mess with the team this year. Let it rock and roll. It is young, deep and talented and needs to mature. Let's see what it can do and hopefully it will just need a tweak or two next year.
The Knicks wouldn't have to give up much, if they have a 6 mill or so exception. Cato makes around that much. We could just take a 1-year player whose contract expires shortly. If New York doesn't have to trade anything for Cato, then maybe the Rockets get cash or a 2nd round pick from NY. I'm not sure about the legality of the Rockets "giving" Cato to NY for nothing at all.
What do you mean by win? Win 50 games? Win 40 games? Cato doesn't really play a big role in whether or not the Rockets win this year. No one is relying him to do anything but backup Ming. Backup centers do not make or break a team's season. I don't think Greg Foster was the reason for Utah's success in the late 90s.
Why does everyone think we have to win now? All of our players (except Rice) are very young and will have several years to gel and make the playoffs and ultimately, win a title. I agree with kidrock. I just want to see improvement.
Sadly, Houston fans have no patience and they MUST WIN AT ALL COSTS, even if it means screwing the future. The Rockets would be much better off in the long run, by not having Cato. I agree with the win at all costs idea, if we were an old team, who has a chance to win the title, like the Rockets of the mid to late 90s. We aren't anywhere close to contending for the division, much less the title. Yet, there is this feeling that Cato will help us to whatever warped goals some fans have? I never thought I'd see the day, where Cato was considered to be such a reliable player, that he's worth having around. There's a good chance that Cato's contract, hinders the Rockets' ability to add a much better player than Cato, in the future. Some people just lack any kind of foresight whatsoever.
We be better in the long run too by letting Griff keep the starting 4 spot and develop chemistry with Francis and Ming. Well, one things for sure ...if they DONT win, they arent going to sell tickets. Maybe thats why some people think we are desparate to win now. Sadly, thats one of the bad things about our town. Some of our fans are a bunch of front runners and apparently, they are usually the ones buying the tickets! lol I think it is a good idea to hold onto Cato for the time being, just in case Ming falls flat on his face. Its like it was said earlier, if Ming is in foul trouble his entire rookie year, Id rather have Cato than Collier playing 25-30 mins a game. Geesh .......how sad is that ......having to choose between Cato and Collier ......egad That being said, if someone came along and offered to take his contract off our hands without giving us baggage in return, I might be compelled to go along.
kidrock8, I want to challenge for a playoff spot this year. I want to see this team mature and compete. With a very young Yao, I am not sure what his defense will look like. Will he block shots? Yes. Will he alter shots? Yes. Will he foul, foul and foul? Probably - at least for a while. Until he has time to develop, we need a good backup. I believe Cato in 10-20 minutes a night can be very effective, and so, I consider him a good fit for the back up role. The true future of this team may be Yao, Griffin, Nachbar, Mobley and Franchise and some other role players. Actually Mobley may eventually be our sixth man. But that's another thread. Cato may only be with this team a few more years - until Yao develops and until we find a better and better priced back up. Until then, Cato is our best option. Cato will not make or break our season, but he can help solidify the position. Yao, Cato and then whoever, is deeper to me than Yao, Collier and then whoever.
I don't see what the problem is with having Griffin defend centers. Is Cato known for shutting down great centers (Shaq)? Does EG have a history of letting crappy centers, abuse him? I just don't see the value of Cato. Yes, he's better than Collier, but I'm willing to "sacrafice" not having him around, than to keep him here for the next 3-4 years. This could be the only window of opportunity there is to trading him. If this is even something NY would consider in the first place.
Good points... But, Cato doesn't have a future with the Rockets, at least once his contract runs out. Having Cato around, doesn't really help us for the future. At most, Cato makes a 2 game difference in our final record. If it means missing the playoffs by 1 game, then so be it. Missing the playoffs by 1 game isn't far from getting the 8 seed. And it sure as hell is better than last year. Maybe I'm not as obssesed abotu making the playoffs as other fans are.
Id still cringe with EG at the 5. Even with backups. Its not that I dont think he can defend, but with build right now, he might be pushed around too easily. Same dilemma with Yao. Thats also the key. Would someone else consider him? If anyone would, its Scott Layden. The man isnt exantly a Mensa Member.
Again, who is going to take advantage of EG's small stature? Obviously Shaq... But do you REALLY think that this would allow Erick Dampier or Greg Ostertag to explode for 20 and 10? Like I said before, I don't see other teams changing their offense around, to "exploit" the fact that EG is guarding their crappy center. Do you think the Rockets would start feeding the ball into Cato, if he was guarded by EG? Probably not... Crappy centers, are going to be crappy, unless Gary Coleman is guarding them.
Greg Osterfat couldnt score 20 and 10 against some of Yao's shorter teamates. lol Griffin maybe could play there as a backup. Id rather see him as the starting 4. Im not a big Mo Taylor fan.
I agree that Cato may not have a future with the Rockets beyond the current contract. But his contract is expiring in 2006 (I think). I would be happy then to spend his salary for a veteran back up and maybe another role player - or maybe the funds go to pay EG's max contract.
EG is more likely to be a defensive liability against Duncan, Webber, KG, etc at PF than at C. For that reason, I want him guarding C's instead of PF's. Also, just because EG defends C's doesn't mean he has to be a C on offense. There is no rule against defending a diff position.
This thread must be hilarious. Here's how it looks on my screen: kidrock8 10-14-2002 07:36 PM This person is on your Ignore List. To view this post click [here] codell 10-14-2002 07:38 PM This person is on your Ignore List. To view this post click [here] kidrock8 10-14-2002 07:38 PM This person is on your Ignore List. To view this post click [here] codell 10-14-2002 07:39 PM This person is on your Ignore List. To view this post click [here] kidrock8 10-14-2002 07:40 PM This person is on your Ignore List. To view this post click [here] kidrock8 10-14-2002 07:42 PM This person is on your Ignore List. To view this post click [here] codell 10-14-2002 07:44 PM This person is on your Ignore List. To view this post click [here]
Well, if we got rid of Cato's contract now, we could perhaps use that money on a REAL backup center. All it would take is "sacraficing" this year without a true backup C. I don't even think it's much of a sacrafice. Hence, the quotation marks.
What I find to be hilarious, are people who feel the need to censor everything they read, because they don't agree with someone about basketball.
I agree with the liability thing. However, Mo is even more of a liability. He isnt capable of blocking someone like a Duncan's shot. Griff isnt foul prone and can better contest shots than Mo can. Although, Mo might be better at holding his position on the block. In reality, we have no one to match up with the Duncans and Webbers. And until we do, or negate that advantage on our offensive end with Yao by causing the same type of mismatch, then we wont be as good as the Kings, Lakers or Spurs or anyone else with a great big man.
