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Monday October 1, 2007 5:36 PM


Notes: Mutombo re-signs with Rockets


Rockets center plans to play one more season, Landry signs with Rockets



Damien Pierce
Rockets.com Staff Writer
HOUSTON -- Dikembe Mutombo plans on wagging his index finger at rejected dunkers for one more season.

The NBA's second all-time leading shot blocker re-signed with the Rockets Monday for what he expects to be his final season.

"I'm going to enjoy every second and every minute of my last year in the NBA," Mutombo said. "I hope that my farewell tour will be a nice and memorable one."

Mutombo, the league's oldest player at 41, considered retirement after the Rockets' first-round playoff setback to the Utah Jazz. He was disappointed with his reduced role in the postseason as well as the team's earlier-than-expected exit.

But after having dinnner with former Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon, Mutombo decided he didn't want to leave the game on a bitter note.

"I think I was more hurt than anybody on the team," Mutombo said. "As I was getting ready to go home for the summer, I was approached by Hakeem Olajuwon. I talked to him over dinner for almost three hours. He just lifted me up and told me, 'Don't walk away from the game because you got hurt from the loss. You can stay around, even play one more year. Finish up and be happy. Maybe next year can be a better one.' I felt like something very positive came from him."

Mutombo is widely considered one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history. The eight-time All-Star passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second on the all-time blocked shots list last season and has been the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year four times.

Since joining the Rockets in 2004, he has served as Yao Ming's backup. He provided the team with a major lift last season when Yao was injured, averaging 5.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in 33 starts.

However, Mutombo is hopeful that he won't have to fill in for Yao again this season.

"I'm too old to be going out there and playing 37 minutes again," Mutombo joked.

Landry Signs: Rockets rookie Carl Landry reached an agreement with the team on Monday, signing in time for the start of training camp.

"I'm glad it's all over and I'm happy to be here," the Rockets' second-round pick said. "I'm glad it's done and I'm ready for camp."

McGrady absent: Tracy McGrady is expected to miss the start of training camp to attend the funeral of his grandfather, Eddie McGrady, in Auburndale, Fla.

The Rockets star has been given permission to take time away from the team to grieve with his family before joining his teammates in Austin.

"We told him to take the time he needs and join us when he's ready," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. "He was very, very close to his grandfather and he's really shaken up about it. He's going to come to camp when he's done with the grieving process. We haven't really talked about a time frame."

Moving Forward: Rockets point guard Rafer Alston expressed disappointment that he was involved in two brushes with the law this offseason, but he believes the organization knows that he is a genuinely good person.

"I think the organization knows who I am as a person," Alston said. "I'm a hard worker and I'm a great locker room guy. I pride myself in being a good person. When my name comes up in these types of situations, it's not only detrimental to the team, it's that way to my family as well."

Alston added that the charges wouldn't effect his play heading into training camp.

"It's nothing that I can't handle," Alston said. "I grew up on the mean streets of New York City. I bounced from home to home and didn't know where my next meal was going to come from. I'm 31 years old now and I'm healthy. Life goes on."