According to Feigen; Rockets will pursue their own free agents instead of Webber.

Clutch, agree with you on this one. Taylor/Rox were just beginning to understand how to best utilize him, but he needs to get in MUCH BETTER shape this year. Shandon won't be a starter, but a very effective role player @ 3and 4 spots, depending on matchups, injuries etc...he gives us great quality depth and a good defensive stopper, and there will be less pressure for him to score. MUST sign Moochie, and I think we will.

It takes a few years to effectively assimilate new players and mold them into an effective team. That's one of the reasons why teams like the Nets never seem to get their act together; you can't keep changing the cast of characters and expect success immediately, even if it is the right collection of players. So let's build on what we've already put into place. Re. Dream, he would fit in great, but that's up to him.

 

...and one more thing-Cato. He is a cancer within a group of winners. The players (Francis and other vocal leaders) are the only ones who have a chance to impact his lazy ass attitude, as the coaches obviously couldn't get to him. Lacking that, they need to somehow move him and his $$$ to some poor, desperate GM. It will truly be addition by subtraction.

 

I love Mo Taylor on the Rockets-- even though I've only seen 2-3 games. This will make everyone feel better: let's call Francis the Rebounding Guard and Mo the Flower Forward.

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"How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak. Because someday you will have been all of these."

 

Yeah, but that's the same loon that said something about us not acquiring new SF's to start and now all we have are SF's on the team. What does he know? Besides, nobody's seen that guy in a while...

... hehe

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"I had mine chewed off by a boss one time." -- Behad leaves us wondering if he gets hazard pay...

 

I think this is good news and it certainly takes some of the uncertainty out of the remainder of the offseason.

Let's see...we resign Taylor and Norris. Langhi is in and Rodgers is out (at least according to reports).

This really only leaves two questions:

1. Hakeem, and
2. Cato

Originally posted by Clutch:

Also, I can see the Rockets renouncing Dream, signing Taylor, Moochie and possibly Anderson, then offering the cap room left to Dream. Rockets could use that small bit of cap room next year to fill holes via free agency. That is if Dream accepts this and the Rockets don't like the Marc Jackson role types in this free agent pool (I believe Jackson is a restricted free agent -- any offer can be matched by the Warriors up to so much)

I agree. If we renounce Dream, it puts the ball in his court. At that point he either decides his loyalty is to the Rockets and does what is best for the team or not. I hope he signs for a reasonable amount that will allow us to make another move at the center position later.

As for Cato, it's beginning to look like we'll never be rid of him. Maybe he'll turn things around (was that Hell freezing over?) or maybe we can find someone stupid enough to take him off our hands.

In the best of all worlds, Hakeem would sign a $6-7 million deal for 1 year and we could trade Cato for another young center that can step in after Hakeem retires.

Edited to clean up the quote and add:

One question, though. Didn't someone say that if we renounce Dream we lose our exceptions? If we aren't going after Webber and Hakeem stays, we might not want to lose those.

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"What did you mean when you opened your mouth and let all our secrets out?"

[This message has been edited by rox dreamz (edited June 29, 2001).]

 

Seems to me we just threw our hand on the table with Taylor. Now we're gonna have to pay him because he knows we want him back. Then we pay Dream. And what are we left with when Dream Leaves. No Mo' money. I'm not in this camp, but I'll run with it. It's all about family sometimes and you can't really argue with that.

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humble, but hungry.

 

ChrisPee-Don't forget Mooch has early bird. We could sign Hakeem to 20 mill, and still resign Mooch to 4.5 mill.

Stay away from Marc Jackson-It'll cost at least 5 mill to get him, because GS can match offers.

PSJ-Check heypee, err ChrisPee's post about salary stuff. We will have room when Dream leaves.

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"I think alot of people find Cato's game to be very offensive." -aelliott, comparing the offensive skills of Kelvin Cato and Michael Olowokandi

 

I really don't care if we get Webber or not.

But Im curious, are we still in the Webber race, except he is not our main priority? Or will we just not sign him period?

IMO, His best selections would be us or Sac. Orlando wants Davis, Indiana really does not have much to offer, and New York would have to trade all their talent away.

If I am correct, I love how he is getting screwed. Personally, I'm tired of whiny overpaid players (13 million is overpaid, regardless what you can do). It's nice to see he will have to negotiate some of his needs, instead of putting teams on their knee's, and screwing up their FA pursuit of other players.

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"Bada Bing!"

 

IMO, the Rockets need to make Dream their #1 priority. He's been a Houston basketball icon for over 20 years, and he's a guy you just can't let walk becuase of $$$. Unless we get Lafrentz, if we don't have Dream and Bull, we won't even be in playoff contention. I don't consider Walt Williams veteren leadership. Last year, the reason for the meltdown the final weeks of the season was because of the inexperience. We NEED a scoring center in the middle that can block shots, and that is exactly what dream needs. Dream still has the ability to scorch teams with decent center, e.g. Nazr Mohhammed and ATlanta. The rockets are 26-13 when he scores double digits. If the rockets are a classy orginazation like everyone says they are, they would keep Olajawan and give him that 2 year, 20 million dollar deal. And if we let Olajawan go to sign 6'10 Marc Jackson, I will consider stop being a Rockets fan. I agree with Olajawan, he owes the Rockets nothing. There is a lazy, underachieving loser making 7 million , and the rockets want Dream to make 4 millions?? Just my opinion.




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One of the newest members of the New Jersey Nets fan club.

 

Remember, before the draft, Dream was saying that by re-signing Mo & himself, Dream believed the Rockets could contend for the championship. He has to still believe this is true, especially with the addition of Griffin. If the Rockets show a little interest, and offer an amount close to what the markey values him at, I bet he stays right here at home.

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Founding Father of the
Refs Suck Club

 

Just another thought on Dream ...
If teams don't double team him, we'll just milk 'em. He's not the player he once was, but if you don't pay attention to him, he'll light you up. He'll take just about any center in the league (obvious exceptions) one-on-one. So put that in your pipe & smoke it!


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Founding Father of the
Refs Suck Club

 

I might to start a SAVE OUR DREAM campaign. I still consider Dream the leader of the Rockets. We can't let him go. Dream is still "clutch"

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nazr nazr nazr,
mohammed that is.

i was campaigning for him in another post, and i would like to see him be thrown in the list of names. there isnt much hype on him, but he seems to have the tools to get the job done.

i havent read many posts about him, but i still would like to get a gauge on this possibility and his salary demands, which shouldnt be as crazy as some of the other postmen in the FA market this summer.

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purvis was never short.

 

Actually I agree and Disagree

I agree we tipped our hand but look at this Quote from Mo

"You can see some similarities in the style he has and the style we have, how they would fit and why they traded for Eddie Griffin," Taylor said. "It made me realize they are making a commitment to me and to keeping me there. He complements me well."

I think he will be more AGREEABLE [less greedy]
than previously thought

Rocket River


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I think the best thing about this draft is the fact that our team will be a lot deeper. If Hakeem and Collier stay healthy then the team will be deep at every position. Only other thing we could hope for is getting a free agent like Marc Jackson or Nazr Mohammed to back up Hakeem and start if he is injured. With this depth we should *definitely* make the playoffs this upcoming year.

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"I would like to live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were ever supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever."
-Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss Universe contest

 

Ok, from a strictly emotional point of view, i hope we keep this team together, it's fun (and, sadly, all too rare these days) to see a bunch of guys who really enjoy each other...and thinking of Hakeem shaking and baking back in the day still gives me goosebumps...and, besides, I'm a 49ers fan, maybe I've just seen too many should-be lifers drift away to another team for one lifetime...

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Just a simple question: Is this a bluff to better hold Mo Taylor's attention for a few weeks?