Daryl Morey " I dont understand the teams not obsessed with beating Goldenstate "

Daryl Morey on ESPN's draft show:

There are a lot of what-ifs in NBA history but if you guys were at full strength, do you feel like you figured out how to beat the Warriors?

They're the best team. We feel like we're right there. We were up I think 15 in game six & seven to knock off the Warriors & go to the Finals. Figure them out, no. I don't think anyone has. We do feel like we gave them one of the best series since they started their dominance.

I'm sure you've heard the sound bite over & over again, saying your obsessed with beating the Warriors. Coming so close to beating them, where is the obsession level right now?

10. I don't understand the teams that aren't obsessed with beating them. To win the championship, you have to beat the Warriors. Every team should be figuring out how to beat the Warriors. That's all we work on. Obviously there's other very good to great teams in this league but the Warriors are likely on their way to winning 3 of the last 4 titles so we're gonna have to load it up and knock them off next year hopefully.

You were able to get Chris Paul last summer without going into free agency, doing an opt-in & trade. Can you imagine a scenario this summer where a superstar free agent wants to play with your stars in Houston where you'd tear apart this roster to create the salary cap space?

We're always aggressive upgrading the team. We'll do that again & look at the major names that should hopefully be out there to try and upgrade the team. Whether we do it by trade, classic free agency, whatever, we'll look at all those options.

Clint Capela's growth, is a RFA. Do you feel you have a big three now because of his evolution?

We feel extremely good about...we're obviously aggressive but if it ends up being we bring this group back, we feel like if injuries or 3pt shot luck goes our way, we could easily be playing the Cavaliers right now. We feel great about bringing this group back. At the end of the day, we're a team. We like this group. If we brought it back, we'd feel very good. My job is always to try & do better.

Anything you learned about Harden this season?

He can hit step back threes at a rate no one has ever done. We learned a couple things: One, how great he is to play with. There were maybe some doubts. Not internally but externally about how it could work with another mega star HOF level player like Chris coming here. As a destination for free agents & trade targets, players are looking around the league & saying 'They have great stars to play with who are unselfish, share the ball, a great coach who makes every player look great. Hey, I want to play down in Houston.' That's our key edge going into this off-season.

Now that time has passed since that game seven loss, the season as a whole, where is your personal level of pride looking back?

Some day when I don't have this job, which will happen some day I'm sure, you'll look back & say it's a hell of a season. Right now, it's a little hard. You get thrown right back into the deep end. We're in near 24 hour prep for draft, free agency & trade right now. You don't get a lot of time to reflect. Some day when I'm telling the grand-kids I'm sure I'll feel like this was a hell of a year.

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Should they reboot or run it back with the same roster?

Woj: If they're able to do a sign & trade where they can get Cleveland or OKC to take back some of their players & potentially draft picks, which is what those teams would want, yeah you'd do that to get a Paul George or LeBron James. That's very unlikely. They don't have young players or draft picks that would make it worth it to those teams to take back a lot of salary. They'd dare those free agents to leave. They have a team here that's balanced and a roster with great role players. Sometimes it's great to have 3 great stars but the PJ Tuckers, those are the guys who evolve that group defensively. I think they can keep that core together & try to run it back. It's a far bigger risk to gut the roster.

Bobby Marks: If you have a player like LeBron or Paul George, you owe it to your franchise to go out & explore every possible option to go out & get them, either in free agency or opt-in & trade. This roster will be expensive. Chris Paul 5/205, Capela will be a RFA. He'll generate close to Steven Adams & Rudy Gobert. Ariza, Mbah Moute, there's names out there to try to keep this team together.

Woj: What you're seeing around the league, OKC is facing it, Houston is facing it, the price to compete with the Warriors is throwing teams into $100M+ of luxury tax. That is reflective of trying to catch the Warriors.

How much should they be investing in CP3?

Bobby: One thing you don't do is get cute in free agency. He gave up $10M last year by opting in & forcing the trade. Years 4 & 5 are a concern. Can they figure out some protection on the back end? The one thing you don't want to do is let Chris Paul get into free agency & start taking meetings. He should be your priority, as well as Clint Capela, on midnight July 1st.​

 

Cavs apparently weren’t

 

Cleveland, perhaps, but I think Woj is offbase on Oklahoma City here. Even if PG leaves, they'd have over $100M in committed salary and Russell Westbrook at 29 years old signed to a 5-year max. Unless Presti would move Russ, which I highly doubt, I don't see them looking for a rebuild (i.e. prospects or high draft picks). Their entire team is constructed to be about the here-and-now.

 

I can understand some team in the east not having that mentality since it's different conference, but in the West if you are a good team you gotta have the mentality of how to beat them.

 

Thanks, JR!

 

Morey's spot on. To be the best, you gotta beat the best.

 

1. Houston - "no one is untouchable, we can always improve"
3. Portland - "we're good, our offense can beat anyone."
4. Thunder - "we're good, we have star power."
5. Jazz - "we're good, we have the best defense in the league."
6. Pelicans - "we're good - with Cousins healthy we'd have twin towers!! oh, and the real MVP!!"
7. Spurs - "you can never be counted out with Pop as coach!"
8. Timberwolves - "Wiggins and Towns give us three all-star players! Oh, and Thibodeau can coach offense."

I'm thankful to have Daryl Morey leading this team.

 

Rockets- F*** Golden State
Warriors- Dynasty That No One Likes
Trailblazers- Regular Season Juggernaut
Thunder- Stats
Jazz- We hate everyone don’t talk to us.
Pelicans- Kicks everyone’s a** except GS.
Spurs- Old A** Team
T-Wolves- The Wannabe Process

 

No kidding. We’re lucky to have a gm who gives us some excitement every off season no matter what level of a team we have.

 

If Boston can improve, they are up there. I think they have smart MIT dudes too.

 

It's the first time AFAIK that he says he won't be the GM 'forever', there is a time he will not be the GM.

 

He has said it before. Either as "Nobody last forever in a GM position" or even to indicate he has to retire/die someday.

 

Has he said it twice in a row though? I am not saying he is tired of the job, but I dun think there is much to improve if he can get 3 stars in one lineup.

 

Other than teams that aren't close, is there some media stuff from other teams GM's saying "nah, we're not interested in beating the Warriors"??

When he says he doesn't understand teams not obsessed with it, who is he talking about exactly?

Has he had a conversation with MDA about not spewing that crap that is "if we ultimately don't win a ring this year, it'll still be a successful season" which is what MDA said as the regular season came to a close?

 

Morey needs to do whatever it takes to trade Ryno to any of these teams where obviously careers go to die. Unload 2 picks for all I care. If that gets you either LeBron or PG13 you do that trade 100/100. I'll take championships over picks all day, everyday.