I know that Cato improved a lot this season and he's starting to be loved by many. But I think we should trade him to upgrade our other areas (namely PG, shooter or PF) if we can. Reasons: 1. His trade value is never higher than before. Trade rule No 1 says you trade a player when his value is at the highest. 2. He's already 29 and is at his prime. While he improved from last season to this season, I can't see him improve very much from this season to next season. 3. Yao's going to play 35+ mins next season anyway. So isn't 7-8m a year for a 10-min backup too much and in fact a big waste of money? I think we should definitely spend the money on more needed areas. We should fill that position with a cheaper player, someone with veteran minimum or mid-level exception (not Collier though). We can pick up someone like that through trade or in the FA market IMO. Here are some of trade options off my head (sorry I don't have time to check RealGM, I just guess the salaries): 1, If Miami can't sign Kandi, then Cato + Moochie for Eddie Jones That would give us a veteran shooter we need to fill Rice's role (if Rice's traded). Miami get a center they need. 2. If Indiana lose Brad Miller to free agency, then Cato for Tinsley + Mercer That would give us a good PG and a good shooter. Indiana get a center and they want to dump Mercer's contract for a long time anyway. 3. If Bucks resign Patyon, Cato + Rice for Cassell + Kukoc or Tim Thomas + Joel Przybilla or Ervin Johnson That would give us a PG, a veteran shooter and a cheaper backup center. Bucks would get a starting center and they can dump salary through Rice's expiring contract. Just some suggestions. I know those trades may not look good. But my main point is that we should use Cato as a trade bait and dump his long-term contract if he's really a trade bait this summer.
Definitely we should trade him if we can get good value in return. Cato can only give us about 15-20 minutes per game before his weaknesses and poor self- control start coming out. My only question is- do other teams really think Cato is starter material? Will they give us anything decent?
we should definitely trade cato. the only way i'd want to keep him is if he had the ability (or if the coaches had the ability to try him) to play power forward. since he cannot (or the coaches will not let him), he'll never be more than the backup center for us. trade him while he is on the upswing! on a separate note, Newgirl, i have thoroughly enjoyed your contributions to the bbs. the quality v quantity of new users in the past 10 months has been disappointing to say the least, but you have been a breath of fresh air. keep it up!
ben wallace wouldn't get playing time on this team as long as "rudy and the rudderless" are coaching.
I agree with the new girl. How about other permutations, like: getting Troy Hudson, Darrell Armstrong or Mark Jackson. We need to take a long, loving look at Jon Barry and Jimmy Jackson. I'd let either one of them start at the 2 guard. They'd compliment Francis better than Mobley. Mobley and Cato make a good package because that's a good contract paired with a bad one. Cato would be a good center for teams that rely on PF's in the interior, or have no interior at all. Good target teams include the Clips, Spurs, Wolves, Mavericks, Orlando, Milwaukee. I'd offer Mobley, Cato and Griffin for Brand and whoever (preferably Jaric). I'd offer Cato and Mobes for T. Parker. I think the spurs would look pretty tough with Kidd/Mobley/Jackson/Duncan/Cato and Ginobili off the bench. If Cato can dunk alleyoops from Francis, he'll average 10 pts a game with Kidd. Yao's anticipated improvement should lessen the need for Cato. We can just use Griffin or Taylor as a backup and go small sometimes. I'd also take a run at trading Mobley and Griffin or Cato for Odom. It gets rid of the Cato contract and gives us a lot of options on offense. Odom is a pothead, but we need his talent and, more importantly, style of play. Odom would be able to run the offense sometimes, which would diminish the need for Moochie's sorry butt on the floor. Then let's look at signing J. Jackson, J. Barry. If not them, then it shouldn't be hard to get D. armstrong, t hudson, or mark jackson. This might be nice: francis/J. Jackson or J. Barry /Odom/griffin/Yao Mooch/Rice/Boki/Taylor/Tmo Hawkins/filler Parker/Francis/Rice/Griff/Yao J. Jackson/Boki/Taylor/Tmo Hawkins/Mooch/filler Anything involving Brand would be incredible.
What about clippers resigning Odom and we do this: cato & rice for Odom, i would even throw in EG they need a center because Kandi is probably not resigning he could play point forward kinda like pippen and he is a good rebounder
Are you guys nuts? What's up with all of you who want to trade away players who have actually <i>improved</i> over last season?! I used to be all into wanting big offseason moves or trades. Now I just want some continuity for a change. I would be quite happy to actually keep the same starters for more than one season.
the thing is... what is the most kelvin cato can do for the rockets? be yao ming's backup, right? well, for a guy that plays 10-15 minutes per night, he'll be making a boatload of cash. we can spend that money in other much needed areas. it's nothing against cato. i love what he's done. i just know that he won't supplant yao.
If we trade Cato, we better get a damn good backup. We don't know Yao's summer schedule. Not really. If he doesn't get the time off he needs and the off-season work he needs to put in with NBA quality trainers, he may not be able to play the minutes we would all like him to. He really seemed to wear out towards the end, didn't he? There's no question about it, imo. Cato has finally found a role on the team that seems to fit him. I'm not opposed to trading him, but we need to think hard about who would replace the guy. (it feels weird to type that about Kelvin... he was an underachiever for so long) If he's used in a deal for a major upgrade at PF, I hope the guy we get can log some good minutes at center. Does anyone have a clue about what Yao's summer will really be like??
Then when MoT comes in off the bench, he spells 1 or the other. Whichever one is still in the game plays C. 3 man rotation for 2 positions.
I'm not much of one for dreamcasting, so I won't bother with that part. But I do agree that shopping Cato in the offseason is a good idea. He has sucked for too many years to be confident that his recent good play will continue. Even if he does continue his solid play, newgirl is right that he won't have many minutes in which to shine with Yao around. Considering his solid season, his shotblocking, his strength and mobility, and most of all his size, I think there would be quite a few teams that would value him as a considerable asset. After the season he had, he'd have been untouchable to the Rockets if not for Yao. So, I think we can get some good return for him that will manage to get more minutes on the court.
It's amazing what a screen name change will do for someone's reputation. I think Yetti should change his name to YettiGirl.
What was her name before - New? I don't follow the who used to be who and who got kicked off, etc. of teh BBS as actively as some.
Yeah, eventhough I think Cato may have finally found his role on the team, shopping him in the offseason has to be considered. He simply makes too much $$ as strictly a backup.
Cato and EG for Odom and Ely potential position players 1s-Francis/Moochie/Mobley/Odom/Maddux 2s-Mobley/Posey/Francis/Hawkins 3s-Odom/Rice/Nachbar/TMo/Posey 4s-MoT/Ely/TMo 5s-Yao/Ely leaves us a little thin down low, we might have to look at drafting a big in second round to fill out roster
