Interesting non the less ! November 30, 1999, Ryan Self. Remember back the day before draft day, when their was all that hoopla about the Raptors trying to deal for Hakeem Olajuwon? The deal was Hakeem for Kevin Willis, Doug Christie, and the Raptors' two early draft picks (5 and 12). Their may have been a scrub or two on each side, but this was basically the offer that Toronto made. Rudy T gave the offer a big fat no, citing team and player loyalty as his reasoning for not trading Hakeem. And we thought Jerry Krause screwed up big time in the feild of knowing when to break up your team. Krause's problem was not knowing that you don't break up a team that will win a title this year for the sake of the future. Altough in my humble opinion San Antonio would have knocked them off anyway, they still as good of a chance as anybody. Rudy's problem is that he had no clue that his team has no chance for a championship. He realized it late, signing Shandon Anderson and trading for Steve Francis, but now it's too late. The Rockets are a team stuck with a backcourt that wants to sprint and a frontcourt that can't run five feet without getting winded. Obviously their's no hope for a title this year,and the chances of someone offering the same ridiculous ransom for Hakeem in the offseason are about as good as seeing Charles Barkley as the best man at Scottie Pippen's wedding. Face it folks, Houston is done for a few years. But allow yourself a little fantasizing about what could have been, and it didn't have to be this way. Say Houston takes the Toronto deal. Then their starters are: C: Kevin Willis PF: Charles Barkley SF: Scottie Pippen SG: Doug Christie PG: Cuttino Mobley Doesn't look great? Try factoring in a bench of Micheal Dickerson, Othella Harrington, plus those 2 high draft choices. Also, say they go ahead and do the Francis and Pippen deals, sign Anderson, and they draft Wally World at number five and whoever the hell that project center guy that Toronto took at number 12. Now take a look: C: Willis/ Young Project boy PF: Barkley/ Kelvin Cato SF: Wallyworld (that last names a b****!)/ Walt Williams SG: Anderson/Christie PG: Francis Factor in whatever kind of bench they could scrape together, and their's your Rockets for the new millenium. Are they a title contender this year? No, but neither is the scrapheap of old and new that's taking the floor now. However, what they are is a team with a future that can grow together, with the obvious exepction of Old Man Barkley, who could teach Cato a thing or two. AS it is now, this team will drag itself to a .500 record and a first round playoff sweep from the likes of Portland. Hakeem and Barkley will probably walk, giving the team nothing in return. Francis will panic from the talent void and raise his average to 45 shots taken a night. General Clipper-ness will ensue for the team. Houston fans, remember the day before the 1999 NBA Draft. It's the day the team pissed it's future away. _____________________________________________ Loyalty apart , what do you guys think of this article ? do you all agree or disagree?
wallyworld is a sorry player up to this point from the games ive seen him play. Looks like he never can recover from that knee injury this season so it remains to be seen so dont fantasize of drafting him. Think of someone else.
3pointer... someone always posts something like this... should've we made the trade or not? and it's clear, most of us "true rocket fans" don't care what we would've gotten in return, DON'T TRADE HAKEEM! if there's one thing we should've learned these past few years, it's more talent doesn't make you a better team... i really like our young core we have right now. if we can keep together Francis, Anderson, Mobley, Thomas, and Cato together for a long time, this team will be one to reckon with in a few years. we won't be one of the more talented teams, but they all play together as a team well... and that's what matters most!
Dream Team,et al First let me say I am not a Hakeem hater ... by any stretch of the imagination. I loved his play(and still do) and sincerely believe he is probably the best that has ever played in a Rocket uniform. But it is the Rocket Team I show allegence to. We all have favorite players and "special" moments centered around specific players. But you cannot have it both ways. Sometimes being a Rocket fan means you have to put the team ahead of the individual player. Even if he is the best player that ever played for that team. I have read your post and would like to make the following obsevations: 1. Although impossible to truly "know" what the future would have presented. All things considered, our present team minus Hakeem, but with the addition of some Toronto talent like Willis, Christie and another first rounder( Likely not Wally, probably Lamar Odom in a two for one trade, or Marion) clearly would have given this team a better record and a more promising future than the same roster with Hakeem. 2.The "core" and future you just mentioned does not include anyone involved in the Toronto/Hakeem proposal. "They all play together as a team well ... and that's what matters most! I am not trying to belabor the subject here, but they played well together without Hakeem. Some might even argue they played much better without him. 3. I too consider myself a "true" fan of the Rockets and yet felt that a trade involving Hakeem and Toronto, although a public relations nightmare, and not one I (even today) would have said was an historically pivotal trade (Francis, Bakley Trades were much more pivotal), this trade offer was a fairly adept and proper General Manger's move. If, that is, it was your job to make the team better. I would have done it ,given the same circumstances. As an aside to this, it has been my contention, and with some reliable information, that Hakeem knew of the trade at least a week before and had in fact agreed to it in principle, but reneged at the last minute because he wanted an extension and other concessions, that Toronto did not need to give, nor want to give. But I shall leave that argument for another day. It's been done. Water under the bridge. But please stop painting the team management as the bad guys here. They have made far worse mistakes.Read next... 3. I am much more upset over the recent offers that involved such stalwart, historic, firmly-entrenched household-named superstar Rocket "greats" such as TMass, Walt Williams, etc.... that were involved in trades for Gill, Kittles, etc... and yet we could not pull the trigger on them. Refusing to trade an aging, perennially injured big guy and a 9 ppg streak shooter with no "D" and who shows signs of being "old" at 29 years of age, for a seasoned "youngster" like Gill who can put 12 ppg in the net every night, and play D all night long. Is a No Brainer. Anyway that's my take on all this ....
Interesting? ... ?? Only if you're a trigger happy "must trade" junkie. And I mean that in the nicest way ... lol The lineup you end up with is as "iffy" as a six Sunday month. Healthy and game fit ... I'd challenge anyone to name ten better centers than Hakeem Olajuwan. If "Kevin Willis/ Young Project boy" ends up before Hakeem ... I'll start building my bunker ... the end of the world is near! "Loyalty apart ..." Do you really believe that Rockets history doesn't have a significant role in the players we've been able to attract? Trade Hakeem and any player worth anything ... will rethink any possible Rocket association. Nice post anyway ... You dragged me out of my lurking motiff. regards
3pointer I dont know what ur saying here. i think even the current injury plagued rocket team has more potential thatn ur what if lineup. willis is getting too old, without trading harrington or dickerson no stevie trade with wally (who hasnt done that well) no shandon free agent "pet project" huh? what are u talking about and uh in case u didnt notice the rockets have tried/succeeded into getting a good running and transition game going and the only rocket that gets tired is hakeem. maybe u are still living in last season tapes cause what ur saying is way off i really dont get what ur saying ------------------ --TEX
yep have to agree with ya there. the rockets now will be champs in the future.....quitten,wally, christe or whoever free.
TeXaSalsa : notice how right at the end of the heading it says <font size=+1>(old article)</font> so it is not going to sound right or make too much sense when looking at what has transpired since first originally written.
