If this is already posted, I apologize. Most have probably read it, but I find it amazing that Rudy was surprised to hear that Hakeem had issues. Check the part that says Rudy misinterpreted something Hakeem said. Also, check the implication that Dream could have played in the OT of the 76er's game. This is from today's Houston Chronicle Jan. 26, 2001, 12:32AM Olajuwon, Tomjanovich clear air By BRIAN McTAGGART Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle One day after meeting with Rockets owner Leslie Alexander in an effort to clear up his future with the team, center Hakeem Olajuwon sat down with coach Rudy Tomjanovich to discuss his role on the court. Tomjanovich, who met with Olajuwon after Thursday's practice at Westside Tennis Club, didn't offer specifics of the conversation, but said the meeting was "very positive, very unselfish." "It was a real good meeting for me," Tomjanovich said. "It cleared some things up. I had a misconception on some things and that's as far as I will go. I'm glad we had that meeting and I have a clearer picture of where Dream is coming from. I found out I did misinterpret some things he said." Olajuwon, 38, has been unhappy with his diminished role this season and stated last week that he would welcome being traded or waived. After missing 12 games with swelling in his right knee, he was activated from the injured list before Wednesday's overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers and scored two points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots in 18 minutes. "He's been gone away from the team and I had not heard any displeasure all through the season up until a week ago," Tomjanovich said. "It was a surprise to me, and now that we have some time and I know how he feels, we'll deal with it." The Rockets have said that because of Olajuwon's $16.5 million salary this season it's unrealistic they would trade him. It's also unlikely the team will waive him. Guards Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley have become the focal point of the offense as the Rockets have moved away from the low-post game. Olajuwon wants to become more involved, but doesn't want to do anything that will hurt the team's chemistry. "That was never my goal," he said. "Everybody that knows basketball has differences of opinions. But the bottom line is to find a common goal where everybody is trying to win games." Tomjanovich said he was caught off-guard when he learned last week of Olajuwon's frustration and that he's open to making changes to keep him happy. "The surprise was that I didn't hear about this displeasure earlier," Tomjanovich said. "But we thought that we were all on the same page and where we were with a young team, and that surprised me because I thought it would've been brought up." Olajuwon sat out the final 5:19 of regulation and all of the overtime period in Wednesday's loss. The Rockets could have used some help on the boards in overtime, but Olajuwon said he wasn't going to force the issue. "To have to worry about that at this stage of my career," he said, "it's not worth it." Although Olajuwon managed just two points on 1-of-4 shooting from the field, he played well defensively with six defensive rebounds in addition to his three blocks. Olajuwon had averaged 25.6 minutes per game prior to going on the injured list. "He said he didn't know how he was feeling going in," Tomjanovich said. "We didn't have a preconceived idea on how long he would play, but we were thinking around 10 minutes. We extended that, and I was very, very pleased with the way he played. I think for the first game back it was a big positive." As far as his knee is concerned, Olajuwon said he was virtually pain-free during Wednesday's game. "Conditioning-wise I didn't know what to expect, but any time a player's out for a while and comes back, you don't really know what to expect," he said. "I've been working out, but I was comfortable." Maurice Taylor, who was been filling in at center while Olajuwon, Kelvin Cato and Jason Collier deal with various injuries, said the team is just glad to have Olajuwon back regardless of his role. "Until something happens, he's going to be here so it's not really something that's distracting," Taylor said. "He helped us a lot defensively (Wednesday) and we're going to get that when he's in the ballgame. "He makes us a better team when he's in the lineup, there's no doubt about it. I don't think any of this is going to be a distraction because we're glad to have him back." ------------------ [This message has been edited by Moe (edited January 26, 2001).]
