You Hakeem-bashers are mean-spirited people and hypocrites (long)!

I agree that early on Hakeem wasn't such an offensive force, but he still didn't suck, because his defense was still good. Plus even having a bad time offensively he wasn't by any means worse than Cato or whoever happened to be filling in that game.

But Hakeem started getting more minutes and playing better when the offense was fine tuned to include him more. That was when he and Steve also started developing some nice on court chemistry.

I'm in no way saying he should have gotten 10 millioin like he asked for at first, or that the teams offense should have been run through him.

But the offense the Rockets were using had totally changed from what he was to. I think that was a good thing, and neccesary, but Hakeem had to make adjustments, I think that's part of the problem. It's almost like Franis learning the PG when he had been a SG before. He also may not have been 100% healthy all that time either. But I don't have a problem admitting his offense was poor early on.

It just seems like after Rudy and Hakeem had the big talk, and Hakeem was involved in the offense more, Hakeem and the whole team responded well.

It doesn't really matter, because he's gone, and it's best to look ahead and see what can happen now.

 

I think actually one of the reasons Joe Barry Carol came to the Rockets is because he was actually friends with him. I don't think he has been super close with any of them though. I know he said that sometimes when the Rockets play the Bucks, or the Lakers or whatever that he and Horry, or Cassell or some of the guys from the championship years might get together for dinner or something.

 

Can't wait for the Raps/Rocks matchups this year, if there are any. Got a feeling Dream will certainly have something to prove.

Though Dream may not be the player he once was, he is *still* capable of becoming half man half amazin (I know, that Vince Carter's tag) as he demonstrated last year.

At any rate, I would hate to be the opposing center. Good luck, Cato!