Rockets interested in Rice - what in the wide world of sports is going on here?

[MFFL]

ROCKETS MAY HAVE APPETITE FOR RICE
NY Post
By MARC BERMAN
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July 27, 2001 -- It hasn't come to that point yet, but sources have told The Post that the Rockets would have interest in Glen Rice if the Knicks and Houston ever engaged in serious trade talks for free agent Hakeem Olajuwon.
Rockets GM Carroll Dawson and Knicks GM Scott Layden have talked approximately three times about Olajuwon. Dawson, however, refuses to get into specific trade discussions with any team until he has ruled out re-signing the 7-foot Nigerian center, which remains the Rockets' top priority.

Dawson said he was planning to meet face-to-face with Olajuwon last night at Salt Lake City where the summer-league games were ongoing. The Rockets have already had their two-year, $8.5 million offer rejected.

The Cavaliers, Raptors, Jazz, Heat and Pacers all are in the running for Olajuwon. Most of those teams have their $4.5 million cap exception to offer the 7-footer. The Knicks gave their exception away to Clarence Weatherspoon and would have to engineer a sign-and-trade, which figured to be an impossibility because of their lack of pawns.

However, although a league source said the Rockets would have no interest in Othella Harrington because of Houston's surplus of power forwards, or point guard Charlie Ward, they would take a hard look at Rice. The Knicks have shopped Rice since last December when his contract became tradeable to ease their perimeter glut.

A Rice-for-Olajuwon swap would be the likeliest way for Olajuwon to get the most money. Rice will make $8.8 million next season, though the Knicks would not have to sign him for that entire amount to make it work with the salary cap. That's because the Rockets will be under the cap and dollar-for-dollar transactions aren't necessarily. Rice has three years and $28.6 million left on his contract. The Knicks would likely want Hakeem in a two-year deal.

"They would consider Rice, although he makes a ton of money," the league source, familiar with the Rockets' thinking, said. "They don't want it come to that though. And in most cases if they're going to take in that kind of money in a sign-and-trade, they'd rather just give it to Hakeem."

[#41]

Sounds interesting, but I just can't imagine The Dream in a Knickerbocker jersey, and the Knicks would have a too old center again.

[JWang]

Rockets need Jerry Rice. Not Glen Rice.

[Bayliss]

Jerry Rice is about as washed up as Glen.

[#41]

Who's Jerry Rice?[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

[MFFL]

Please tell me you're joking.

Jerry Rice is the greatest wide reciever ever to play pro football.

[JWang]

I was joking at serious manner. Jerry Rice, the 49ers legend is forced to play out of town. It's hard to see same thing happening to legend Hakeem Olajuwon.

[#41]

Sorry MFFL, but I only heard about that guy! I'm from Germany, and I only know about basketball of american sports!