[ClutchFans] Podcast: On the D-Mo Trade and Houston’s uncertain future

A 1st round pick was a deciding factor in numerous beneficial deals, including the Harden trade.

 

I'm thinking two max deals, the rest being vet min deals. All of the above would need to go.

 

Correct.

 

Max deals to WHOM?

I hope Morey is not building that Lakers team that had Payton, Malone, Shaq and Kobe....

DD

 

Durant and Horford. My thoughts are here.

 

DMo wasn't a mid first round pick and was picked after the mid round and you associate a lot of value to him. He was picked under the Morey "regime"


every pick is hit or miss - sometimes its on the team for not doing their due diligence and sometimes its just the player themselves do not hit their potential, and other times players surpass that potential. The best chance you have is to get the highest pick possible so you have the largest pool of talent to choose from - its that simple.

 

Wait, so we want to give a MAX deal to a guy who has major foot issues?

Great post BTW.

The point is about the likelihood of a pick being any good...NOW - when the reality is it will probably be 3 years before any mid level first round pick is able to properly contribute to a level that a healthy DMO can...I prefer to roll the dice on a guy and his back getting better.

DD

 

Thanks. Yes we do, simply because the upside of Durant is the key ingredient to getting the Rockets to the finals based on his body of work. And you don't get Horford if you don't get Durant. It is all or nothing, likely.

 

Seems unlikely - I hate that all or nothing approach - would prefer we build smartly around Harden.

DD

 

Well, it is gamble for sure. But I think the thinking is to put together a team good enough to beat the top teams, more difference makers need to be added. That would be looked at as "building smartly around Harden."

That said, if the Rockets strike out on Durant/Horford they will just go to plan B-C-D etc.

 

See, the problem is that that way NEVER commits to anything it is always a Chase plan A, and settle for plan B.

I contend plan A is unlikely and will result in a hamster wheel approach where we continually kick the can down the road - wasting Harden's prime.

Just get players and build around Harden - don't be a "Me too" GM - set a course that works for the best of the Houston Rockets.

DD

 

And Harden was only attainable because.... Drum roll.... We had the first round pick that you dismiss as worthless. (And this is coming from me, a DMO fan who wanted him to stay)

 

all of which will get you a nice "also ran" team that has no chance of winning the title, if you believe NBA history is any guide. That's the Carrol Dawson approach to GMing. And that's the surest way to waste Hardens prime.

 

We still have first round picks we can trade, this is not the end of the world.....and all the guys are UFA this summer......no need to give a pick just pay the men the max.

Oh you mean the Carrol Dawson that was with the Rockets when they won two championships, that one?

DD

 

DMo has never won a ring.

Don't want him back

 

So this is the first deadline Morey technically didn't pull off a trade?

 

I'm not saying Morey can't make a move without the first round pick. I'm just saying you cannot minimize the value of a first round pick without eroding your credibility.

And no, I'm talking about the Carrol Dawson who handed out stupid contracts to Kelvin Cato, mo Taylor, and on and on. Those are akin to the moves you are talking about.

Let's be clear, Hakeem being the singular best player on the planet those two years won us the titles. Rudy coached em up, ran the right system, for the best player on e planet, at the right time in his career and in the NBA. The GMing was wholly secondary.

 

Oh, you mean like Ariza's first contract, or Corey Brewers current one, or perhaps Jeremy Lin's contract, or Terrance Williams...

What were you saying again?

DD

 

What about the "Luxury Tax"

I say buy out Lawson to get us out of the luxury tax. I'm pretty sure we can pick up someone from the D-league that can provide more than he do in 16-20min a game. lol

 

No he is talking about CD - CD was not the GM for the two titles he was on Rudy T's bench but you are trying to make it seem it was CD who put those title teams together when it was not at all. I think CD is great and a huge part of the Rockets franchise but his tenure as GM was terrible. Really the three best things CD did was trading for francis then mcgrady and its topped by drafting Yao. (I love chuck but I would have tried keeping Sam and Horry for one more year)

also Ariza's contract was given to him with the thought of Yao Ming being there and McGrady - both of which whose health failed greatly. Ariza was supposed to replace Artest. With neither McGrady or Yao healthy he was asked to take on a role he never should have his first stint here. If both were healthy Ariza would have taken on the role which he was accustomed to and succeed in (like his last few seasons) He would have been the younger, more athletic replacement for Shane Battier

Jeremy Lin's contract was not a bad deal and it was structured in such a way NY didnt match. Was Jeremy the best player here? Nope not by a long shot. But considering that the team appeared to be in a complete rebuild when Jeremy was signed (traded away all major parts, amnestied Scola) - the team (in this case more likely Les) needed a name to help bring in people to the arena. Jeremy was by far the most recognizable name that was available that the Rockets could realistically get. Of course in hindsight that looked bad because the Rockets then pulled off the trade for James Harden days before the season started. Lin's deal was short term so it really wasn't that crippling to the team anyway. And of course if you do point out it cost the team a first round pick to dump the final years of Lin's contract -- really that was only done because the team (and the rest of the world included Woj) believed Chris Bosh was about to sign here so they had to make the moves to create the cap space.

Terrence Williams was had for a "middle first round pick" (which ended up to be Shane Larkin) and it was still worth it at the time as well. He was an amazing talent that could fill up the stat sheet but he just failed when it came to the other stuff like thinking and being able to play within a team concept. Still its a move that most teams would make any day considering the enormous potential and talent he had (guy averaged triple double in dleague after all)


Brewer's contract is not a good one based on his current production - that is a puzzler for sure -- but the other ones you mentioned are all completely not taken within the context of when they happened.

I mean Daryl isnt the perfect GM - i dont think any GM is but you make it seem he is terrible when in fact he is one of the best GMs in the league. He has started off with a crappy hand and has done the best with what he is given and has to deal with (Les never wants the team to tank) the one issue I've had with Daryl is how much control he has with the philosophy and coaching of the team - I would rather thats left to the coaches. I feel Daryl's philosophy is what caused Rick to leave and also bring in a coach like McHale and now keeping a guy like JBB. Daryl has brought plenty of talent to surround the core stars but hasn't place enough emphasis on proper coaching.