Hey guys, Move if it isn't in the right location. It seems to me that no matter what draft pick we get whether it is lottery or on the cusp of the lottery, Morey is going to draft a player who has played 3 or 4 years at their respective college. Past history in the past 3 drafts have shown that the guy refuses to draft based on potential. I honestly think it is why we are getting only role players because these players have hit their ceiling already like PPat, Morris, Parsons (You guys can hope all you want, but he isn't going to jump to all star status). Discuss
In 2008, Morey selected Donte Greene, FRESHMAN out of Syracuse. (And no, he was not selected for Sacramento. He was selected for the Rockets, and after a brilliant summer league performance, Sacramento agreed to trade Ron Artest to the Rockets for a package centered around Greene and Bobby Jackson. Getting a talent of Artest's caliber was too good an opportunity to pass up, so the Rockets traded away their recently drafted freshman.)
It has to do with draft position. You want to pick stars, get a higher pick. Parsons shouldn't even be mentioned, since he's the equivalent of picking out a star in mid first round (picking out a starter in the second round)
I figured you would use Donte Greene and I agree that he wasn't used to trade for Ron Artest. That was Morey's first draft ever. Since then it has been completely and utterly guys who are four year players in college. I also base my argument on the fact that the recent Rocket's big boards we have heard about through clutch have always had 4 year players at the top including Morris brothers, PPAT being #6 in his draft when he clearly was not.
First of all, 2008 was NOT Morey's first ever draft. He assisted CD in 2006 and then ran the show in 2007, when he drafted Aaron Brooks, Carl Landry and Brad Newley. Also, here are examples of NON-four year college players who Morey has drafted (including some of the players you cited as being four year guys): Brad Newley, foreign Donte Greene, Freshman Sergio Llull, foreign Chase Budinger, junior Patrick Patterson, junior Marcus Morris, junior Donatas Motiejunas, foreign There is no pattern of "four year college players" in Morey's draft record.
Morey said he doesn't see the value in developing players. They spend years on your payroll and when they are finally ready to bust out you either have to pay them big bucks to keep them or watch them bust out in someone else's arena. He also said rookie contracts are usually the best deals in the league. Which sounds like he has studied this indepth and prefers rookies who can come in and perform right away. Makes sense to me. Still you got to pick the right rookies. Some younger kids come in more ready to contribute right away and others have so much upside you have to pick them, Demarcus Cousins, Andrew Bynum... I am sure Morey would not pass up Anthony Davis.
I'm sure part of the philosophy is that if their ceiling is really high, then you can take him (although honestly, if you can't contribute on at least a budinger level your rookie year you won't be a superstar). Otherwise it makes sense. Why spend a pick on someone who may become a starter in like 3 years when you can pick up a guy who will start now?
I am not sure he has a philosophy. Thats not a jab at him. I think he picks on different criteria every year based on what the Rockets have going for them, the drafts depth, the player that falls to them, how high the Rockets are picking, and what the Rockets need. This year he should be concerned with getting as many players from this draft as possible by getting more picks if he can or moving up in the draft because of the talent.
He has said players who have spent 3-4 years in college tend to be scouted less and forgot about, thus dropping in the draft.
