<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Aug. 9, 2005, 9:54PM <font size="5">Rockets seeking to sign Mutombo for last two years</font> <font size="4">Barry to agree to one-year deal</font> <font size="3">By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle</font> Describing signing with the Rockets as no more than a formality, guard Jon Barry returned to Houston on Tuesday and said he expected to this week sign a one-year deal that could complete his career. "I'm just waiting to sign the contract," Barry said while indicating that the only remaining issue is setting up a time to sign the deal while moving to Houston this week. The Rockets are close to completing a deal to bring back center Dikembe Mutombo, Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. Mutombo, who had been vacationing in Europe and did not return to the United States until late Monday, said Tuesday that he had not yet spoken to his agent David Falk and did not know where contract talks stood. But as he has said since last season, Mutombo reiterated that his desire is to return. "I hope things work out to come back to Houston," Mutombo said. "My plan is to play two more years and then retire. I'm not asking too much. I'm hopeful it will work out with the Rockets. I think it will." Falk was unavailable for comment on the details of Mutombo's contract talks. Barry, meanwhile, left no doubt about where he stands. "I want this to be the last stop of my career," Barry said. "I came in here and got a shot of adrenaline. It's a great team, the best staff I've ever had and one of the best groups of guys I've ever been around. I'm excited about doing it again. "If we stay healthy, we have as good a team as anybody." <font size="4">HoustonChronicle.com </div></font> Great News!
yes i am a huge fan of mutombo. He is a great teacher for yao and a great defensive spark plug. If only we had a defensive version of everyone like how we got mutombo and yao!
Good move by the Rockets; Mutombo seemed re-energized last year and seems like he still has some gas left in the tank. Barry is a good guy to have on the bench. Houston is having a quietly effective off season, both with the signing of a promising young big man in Swift and by locking up their veteran free agents.
great moves...the Rockets retain the chemistry from last season by re-signing two key pieces...I love Barry's shooting and passsing, and Deke's defensive presence is priceless...now if we are able to sign a legit guard, we'll be in great shape...
Thats great, they were important peices to our run last year. I thought we would only have mutombo around for another year, but two years is even better since i have completely given up on badiane..
Great news, I love Mutumbo's defense and his mentorship for Yao. Resigning Barry was also a good move considering our shooting guard and small forward position was still somewhat weak. Also, by resigning those two, we would be keeping some of the valued team chemistry that we had last year so we might be able to explode out of the gates instead of later on in the season. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">two years is even better since i have completely given up on badiane..</div> Mutumbo plays center while Badiane's a powerforward...
Great news!! Those were the most important F/A's we had to resign. I've always admired Mutumbo's heart, and Barry is a tru warrior. Now if we can get rid of the extra baggage, and sign a PG and a SG then we'll be where we should be.
Man if the rockets can somehow land D. Anderson or Finley, then I honestly believe that next to S.A. we will be the best team in the west.
[quote name='drake']Yeah!!!! fantastic now we got the "MONSTOR" for 2 more years. that is hilarious! i always thought that too! Hey does anyone remember when mutombo cleared the bench with the "finger" after the blocks in the playoffs?!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AznxBaller:</div><div class="quote_post">Mutumbo plays center while Badiane's a powerforward...</div> Yea but the rockets intend to use him as a center. They mentioned how they would like him to develope with mutombos kind of game. Lots of shot blocking, defense, and rebounding. Badiane looked horrible in the summer league though.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Yea but the rockets intend to use him as a center. They mentioned how they would like him to develope with mutombos kind of game. Lots of shot blocking, defense, and rebounding. Badiane looked horrible in the summer league though.</div> Perhaps they were trying to say they wanted him to become a defensive prescense down low like Mutumbo? I don't know, but it doesn't necessarily mean they want him to play center. A powerforward can do shot blocking, defense and rebounding too. But I've got to agree with you, from his summer league performances, I'm not too impressed. We're going to have to be patient with the guy. He's still incredibly young, only 21 years old.
Badiane is not showing much improvement. I saw a bit of the summer league and it seemed that Badiane is a good shotblocker and rebounder who gives hustle. However, he was exactly that when he was 19 and played on our 2003 summer league team. It's between 18 and 24 when a player's game is supposed to progress the quickest and Badiane doesn't seem to have improved any. If we could just sign Lonny Baxtor to be our third-string power forward, I think we can forget about Badiane coming over at least in the next three seasons.
I agree. I heard about this Baxter kid in summer leagues, and he might be a solid pick up. He dominated everybody out there. Him and Dion Glover, which I think would also be a good pick up. Just a rumor, but I heard Dallas was tryin to steal Mutumbo from us. Lol. Don't know bout ya'll, but I got real angry when I heard it at first (being it's Dallas), then I realized it's just a rumor and isn't that serious. Mutumbo needs to finish his career in a Rockets uniform.
I agree. I heard about this Baxter kid in summer leagues, and he might be a solid pick up. He dominated everybody out there. Him and Dion Glover, which I think would also be a good pick up. Just a rumor, but I heard Dallas is trying to steal Mutumbo away from us. Don't know bout ya'll, but when I first heard the rumor, I got real angry (being it's Dallas), then I realized that it was just a rumor and not that serious. Mutumbo needs to finish his career in a Rockets uniform.
From what I've heard and from what I've read in this thread, Lonny Baxter isn't worth it. He won't be able to contribute within our rotation. As far as third string players go, they should at least be able to contribute if one of the first or second string players get injured and they are injected into the rotation. It wouldn't hurt to sign him, but I think we already have the same kind of players in Braggs. Plus, Baxter is only 6-8, so I'm pretty sure he doesn't have the tools needed to succeed in the league. It doesn't make sense to sign Glover either- we already have too many guards with Barry, Wesley, and Sura that can all play shooting guard. There simply wouldn't be room in the rotation for him. If we can get him for cheap, sure whatever, and let him play as a third string guard but otherwise, no.
