Sure it is. But he knows the most likely scenario is to get one first, then the other will come. So, if you consider Gasol a perennial all-star, getting Gasol first might make it easier to convince another one to come to Houston. Clutch has been advocating this strategy for awhile, and mentions Amare going to NYC when no one else was there is what we need someone to do. Like mountain climbing, you have to pull yourself up to the next level in order to reach the top. You can't expect to launch yourself to the top all at once.
How about tanking in order to improve upon how much our draft pick is worth? If we had a less than stellar record, that draft pick looks all the more prettier to a team like Orlando, who would be in a rebuilding state after trading Howard. Tank until the deadline and trade for Howard.
so, if he doesn't sign multiple perennial all-stars, then he's failed? that'd be the case if that was his plan. The Gasol scenario would have been a failure. One, Gasol was/is not a perennial all-star. 11 seasons. 4 all-star games. I expect he'll play a number of seasons more. I do not anticipate many, if any, more all star games. he's been close to perennial recently, but that's a matter of circumstance - playing with the Lakers, with Kobe, on dominant teams. Moreover, Nene has never been an all-star. Stepping stone then to the perennial all-star signings? I guess... if you're patient enough. Give the man a decade and he might get there your saying? This has proven to be relatively untrue in basketball. See Celtics. See Heat. See Lakers (Gasol acquisition). At a minimum, it has proven to be no less true than any other method. Everything has luck, it's a matter of degree. One thing I do know, is that Morey has proven to be a relatively very solid drafter. I'm giving him a pass on Morris for now, but can certainly see Morris playing up to the #14 pick over his career, even with the start. Moreover, a legit tank, properly timed, lessens the luck. Definitely suck = get a high pick. In a universally agreed upon solid draft, especially at the top, that pick should be good. In a strike shortened season. With a new coaching staff. With players that might be able to net you more draft picks or young compensation. And free up more cap room to potentially pursue that multiple HOF signing offseason, as unlikely as it would be. And already be owed draft picks by other teams. And then be relatively bad again the next year. Then you become the Thunder, Trailblazers, even the Magic of 5 years ago. The Bulls. The Sixers. The Hawks.... But wait, those teams haven't won championships you say? True, but very few teams have... ever, in the NBA. Not a lot of parity. An overwhelming majority of those that have, though, have done it on the back of draft selections, followed by prudent management. I think we have prudent management. I just don't think that management is in a situation where there's much it can do, other than cross its fingers it and try and, as hp alludes, take baby steps. The team, simply, needs an all-star level player, to come out of a draft pick, some way or another, imo.
Exactly... and I believe the thinking was it would have to be Williams. Honestly though I don't know if the Rockets thought Dwight going to New Jersey/Brooklyn was something he'd sign off on. If it truly is, the Nets could risk it all and hold on to Deron past the deadline, even if the outlook is bleak to keep him. The real question is what do the Rockets do with a bunch of cap room if Deron and Dwight sign elsewhere? Rose, Love and Westbrook got extensions. You've got restricted free agents in Eric Gordon, Brook Lopez, Nicolas Batum and JaVale McGee... crapshoot there. Maybe when Morey said "Celtics model" he meant literally adding KG and Ray Allen? Yikes. Probably would be looking to use that cap room strictly for flexibility in trades at that point.
JayZ750, I'm not advocating anything. I chimed-in merely to say that I do think one of Morey's plan has been to "(2) sign multiple perennial all-stars/HOFers." ... and that the Gasol trade was 1/2 of the plan. When I said, "you can't expect to launch yourself to the top all at once," you suggested this is untrue. Each team you mentioned already had a "perennial allstar/HOF" if not an MVP. Clutch's statements is we need to prime the well first. We need to get the first recognized superstar to attract another. Again, I'm not advocating one strategy against another. These conversations always end up the same. I'm just disagreeing with you when you mentioned what Morey is or isn't doing. I'm talking about what I think Morey is doing, not what I would do. I have no real take on what I think the GM should do.
Brook Lopez and Wilson Chandler may be on a market and signing them both to play alongside this guys may be a really good move, especially if Brook can develop to an All-Star Center. In his pre-Avery career he was really a 7-1 version of Yao Ming, with the same strengths, same plays running for him and the same production for a sophomore year as Yao had in Rockets Red
They have to pay the difference as a fine, and it goes to the player's pool. This fine comes only at the end of the year, if you are still under.
I hear ya. My point was only that if you think that it is indeed Morey's plan, than I hope you judge him by his success or lack thereof, in hitting it. If Gasol was 1/2 that battle, then his plan really really must have been long-term. Especially if it was Gasol + Nene + Lowry as the three headed monster. Don't get me wrong, great players, great to root for, etc. We'd still likely be looking at 0 all-stars (not that all-star is the end all be all of talent evaluation) and 1st or 2nd round exit. Meaning he's playing one heck of a game of chess, and really focused on turning Landry into Martin into Gasol into something (never mind the fact that Gasol would of course be on the way down) To your point about teams already having a franchise player. Conceded... BUT, I'd note that non of the teams, when they made that immediate transition, were better situated then the Rockets, performance wise. The Lakers were perennial 1st round losers, and the Celtics and Heat were awful. I'm not saying DM can't turn this squad into D.Williams + D.Howard plus role players. But I find it EXTREMELY unlikely. I think, generally, the direction of this thread has been, correctly, that to accomplish the above, you have to trade for one first, and then convince the other to sign outright. Which involves the other taking meaningfully less money, choosing your squad, with it's now renouncing the rights to a lot of role players anyway (though the team is clearly better positioned). As Clutch points out, if not the DREAM scenario, then what? DM has a ton more resources and money to throw at this problem. I can't possibly believe he's putting very many eggs in the D.Williams + D.Howard scenario. He's not ignoring it, but he's got to know how extremely unlikely it is. He's not being allowed to tank. Given the limitations and unlikelihood of certain scenarios, I see the best route (outside of tanking ... broken record I know, too late anyway) is a Detroit Pistons-esque run. Turn Scola+ into a meaningful SF that can play both ways. Hope the Knicks give you a draft pick around the #10 slot. Hope that Motie comes over and has an immediate impact. Add depth in the offseason, but no move that really knocks your socks off. You're the Denver Nuggets of this year, but hopefully better, and in the new West, that can maybe get you a top 4 seed for multiple years where you can win it all one year??
My belief was that Morey was thinking two steps ahead...getting Pau, signing Nene then using them in an attempt to snag Dwight in a trade at the deadline. Just my 2cents.
OMG, we are not getting D-Will and Howard. We just aren't. If Brooklyn doesn't get D-Will, the Mavs will. As for Howard, if he doesn't end up where D-Will ends up, he'll likely end up playing in a city of his choosing ...and that's not Houston. Hate to be the turd in the punchbowl, but we need to be realistic about our prospects. Morey's gonna have to figure out another way to get us in contention. I give him credit for the Gasol/Nene front line he was putting together. It's that kind of out-of-the-box thinking that will produce a strong plan B. In Morey we trust!
We would be better off doing that if dwight/deron doesn't happen rather than sign guys just to fill the cap. Leave the cap open for trades.
With the Magic in complete disarray right now, Howard's getting traded before the deadline, thats a given imo. And I don't think its to the Nets, though they will remain optimistic and hold on to D. Williams just in case. I think a more likely scenario for the Rockets is to pursue Williams in the offseason, and trade for a 2nd star using any combination of Lowry, Scola, Martin, picks etc. Then, we may have enough money leftover to get 2nd tier FAs such as Batum, R. Allen, Garnet etc to fill out the roster.
