[CHRONIC] Rockets apparently not getting Iguodala or Butler. So what now?

From Dick Justice....

http://blogs.chron.com/sportsjustic...oustonchronicle/sportsjustice+(SportsJustice)

Daryl Morey is an odd duck. Let's just begin with that analysis. Took me awhile to get there, but that's my expert conclusion. And if you ever dreamed he'd end up as general manager of the Astros, you can stick that little thought in a sock. Ain't happening.

This weirdo has decided that making a bad deal is worse than making no deal. Yes, you right that sentence right. Can you imagine such a thing? I know some of you are going to be upset by this situation.

Some of you want change, and you don't care if it helps the Rockets or hurts the Rockets. There's still a strong possibility Morey will make a deal before next week's trade deadline, but it's probably not going to be one of the ones you've been hoping for. I'll get to that later.

I guess I've spent too much time around the Astros. Those boys see the world differently. Drayton McLane wants action. He doesn't seem to get caught up in whether the club is going forward or backwards. He just wants the club going some direction.

I can't tell you how easy this philosophy makes my job. I get up in the morning wondering if there'll be anything to write about, and along about 3 p.m., here it comes. Kaz Matsui. Miguel Tejada. Jason Jennings. Woody Williams. Carlos Lee. Brandon Lyon. Mike Hampton. My eyes light up like the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. They've done it again.

We're not likely to have that kind of fun when Thursday's NBA trading deadline passes. This smarty-pants Morey has decided he's either going to help the Rockets, or not do anything.

At the moment, not doing anything meaningful seems to be the option with increasing appeal. Let's update the dwindling list of options:

• The Mavericks seem poised to acquire Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood from the Wizards for Josh Howard and a package of other players. Morey thought Butler and Haywood would have been a decent fit—that's decent fit, not great fit, don't confuse the two—for the Rockets. But he couldn't have made the deal without surrendering a big chunk of his core players — Aaron Brooks, Carl Landry, Chase Budinger, Luis Scola, etc. — and he was unwilling to do this.

• The Sixers have informed the Rockets that Andre Iguodala isn't going to be traded. This could be a bluff, but Morey apparently believes the Sixers are serious. So those discussions have ended for the time being.

• Morey had less interest in Amare Stoudemire, who appears headed for the Cavs. The Rockets were never really comfortable with Stoudemire because he's unwilling to commit to a long-term contract and because he's a liability on the defensive end of the floor.

• As for the other players, he was had on his wish list — Kevin Martin, Corey Magette, Anthony Randolph, etc. — there's nothing cooking. Things could change as Thursday's deadline approaches, but the Rockets aren't confident they'll make an impact move.

• Now to the next-to-last option. That's to trade Tracy McGrady for a bundle of expiring contracts. That kind of deal still could happen. If it were me, I might just let the little diva sit the rest of the year, but I hold grudges.

So where does this leave us? The Rockets would enter the off-season with a likely lottery pick, the core of the team still together and some salary cap room. If they renounced contracts, they'd have the flexibility to bid for LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade or Joe Johnson, but a more likely scenario would be to keep most of the team together, to add at least one player from the draft, to get a healthy Yao Ming back on the floor and then to have some money to spend in free agency.

(I wouldn't hold my breath dreaming about Bosh, Johnson, etc. Max-contract players would be giving up about $20 million in salary. Johnson and Wade seem unlikely to leave. The Rockets hope to make a recruiting pitch for Bosh, but it appears a longshot.)

First, before you write to tell me the Rockets shouldn't bring Yao back, that's a dead issue. He has a player option, and seems likely to exercise it. Leslie Alexander wants him as part of the team, and the team's medical staff seems cautiously confident he'll be able to resume his career. There are no guarantees, but unless there's a setback, Yao seems likely to be part of the Rockets next season. Remember that when he's healthy he's 20 points and 10 rebounds, and this season has reminded us how valuable he is.

The intriguing part about this final scenario is that the Rockets believe they'd be able to get an impact player in the draft. Considering how many good players Morey has found with lower picks, it's certainly seems realistic that he would do something good with a higher pick.

What this final option doesn't do is address the needs for this season. Iguodala or Butler might have elevated the Rockets into a lower-tier playoff team this season. Neither seems to be an option at this point, and none of the other options seems likely to happen.

Over at Minute Maid Park, there'd be panic in the streets. There'd be a telephone call from Temple wanting action. And there'd be a deal even if it didn't make any sense. There'd be a good manager fired and a bad manager hired, a coach dismissed. At least, there'd be action.

Morey sees things differently, and while he's not much for column material, he's better for the basketball team. He has made enough smart moves that it's OK to trust him. If he says there's no deal out there that will help the Rockets, then I say there's no deal out there that will help the Rockets.

So next week, we'll root for our little team to get its mojo back, not to mention it's injured players, and then we'll see how this season plays out. Between now and then, the Texans will have time to add six more ex-Broncos, and the Astros, well, who knows what those crazy kids will come up with?