For all the blame Morey is getting and rightfully so the #1problem is Alexander. The guy is all about profits and thus can never willingly let the Rockets go through a losing season. We were lucky at all to get that 2003 first round pick to get Yao, as the 01-02 season was just a disaster roster wise and honestly, having Rudy T didn't help much either. But back to Mr. Leslie, who bought the team prior to the 93-94 season thus immediately spoiled with back-to-back championships and has held the Rockets hostage ever since. This is the worst what could happen as the man probably saw dollar signs everywhere and started to think we should try to be contenders every single year. I honestly believe that in his mind we are actually contenders or one move away from contenders every, single, year. Look at the track record since he came here: - 94-95: bring a star in Drexler here, for profit reasons and probably keeping Olajuwon happy as well. - 96-97: trade away our future for a shot at the title and bringing in all the veterans he could get his hands on - 98-99: bring in Pippen, for profit reasons and maybe a shot at the title lol - 04-05: bring in Tracy, which is actually the only imo you could argue was the right move and could've made us contenders, if we had also brought in the right players surrounding them instead of all those losers from NY. - 08-09: bring in Artest, with no intent to keep him beyond the season and being cheap by not bring Deke back earlier or even try to get another center for that matter - 09 - now: been trying to get that one star so we can become immediate contenders, in his eyes that is. There's probably a lot of players we have been trying to get in all those years but recently it's been Bosh, Stoudemire, Carmelo, Deron and Pau. (In relation to other talks about Scola not being happy, they have been trying to trade him since 2009). Now all that is fine, if you have already a nice core of players (starting unit preferably) who with that player would become instant contenders. Now I truly believe with all those names listed, it would not have made us contenders, far from it. One of the reasons is obviously Morey who has a huge ego, is terrible at dealing with the media and most importantly: with our players. The word asset is the embodiment of all this is wrong with the Rockets organization. In all fairness to Alexander, partly why players will not come here is out of his hands. However, I think the organization has suffered some serious damage to their image because of the way they have dealt with T-mac in 09 and recently with Rick Adelman. The latter is something everybody knows by now and is clear as glass. It is even part of 2k12 commentary where Kerr says he does not believe Adelman wanted to go in another direction and in his explanation refers to dealing with the media (what was said). It will probably take a few year to recover from this thus ironic as it is, it would be the perfect time to just lay low, just develop some young players and try to get that highest pick in this year's and probably next year's draft as well, kind of like '82-84. Still in order for this transition to be successful we need a shake-up, from top to bottom before the Rockets will be significant again. Alexander has proven to be an owner all about profit, which he has been quite successful in but other then that, so basketball wise, it has been bad. He's been cheap and disloyal (firing Calvin as commentator and changing jerseys after championships come to mind), only to Rudy T who we probably saw as the guy to get him more $ by winning those championships. I wouldn't be surprised if Leslie pushed for drafting Yao just to get some things going with China and all the money he could earn from them. Look at the owner before Leslie, that guy was a smart man and did all the right things. We had great coaches, suffered through some bad years that landed us Ralph & Dream, always had a nice mix of veterans and young bucks and if it weren't for drugs, the Rockets would've rocked the late 80s. Now back to the situation at hand which is the current team. Nobody in his right mind believes this team is going anywhere and who would want this team to make the playoffs, honestly ? You want to see this team get their asses kicked in the 1st round only to be stuck with another bad pick. Nobody should want that, definitely not a smart owner or business man for that matter who should think long term. Getting a high pick, maybe even two, can pay huge dividends in two-three years when you have a good young core and maybe even all-stars (on the way). Then you should be concerned about getting that star player to put you over the top, not now. I can understand you tell everybody you think we have a shot at the playoffs, that's just good PR but to actually believe it, which he clearly does, is ridiculous. There's no reason to believe Leslie will change his mind, look at his track record, and with Morey here and his mind full of numbers and treating people like numbers, we will stay stuck in mediocrity. In conclusion: Mr. Alexander please step down and take that mathematician with you. Thank you.
I don't mind Les. He cares about winning. And he's not a complete assclown like Dolan or Dan Gilbert. The grass ain't always greener.
I agree it could be worse .... but I think Morey and him are not a good tandem. Two hard headed egos there. One has to go. Leslie is the boss but he is old. 10 years ago and Morey's contract would not be extended, even if he plays the docile nuthugger.
This is spot on. While many may disagree with the direction the team is taking while trying to return to contender status, to argue that Alexander is all about profits instead of a winning team is absurd.
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I would like to see what Morey could do with a reasonable owner..... Not one like Les who blames his coaches for empty seats.....I mean come on....when he did that JVG had to be thinking he was working for an idiot. DD
I want a rich guy who considers the team a hobby that cares about winning more than making money. A Cuban, Paul Allen, or Arison type. Too bad Zuckerburg isn't a Rocket's fan.
Image is everything to Les. Notice that Rick was shown the door once he publicly questioned whether constantly shuffling the roster was actually making the team better. This is why we have the ultimate company man in McHale, who's knows how to play the media and flawlessly deliver talking points.
Zuckerberg would be nice..... he'd have the social network going for him. Get those players on the network and come to Houston.
I think now is the perfect time to blow up the team and to aim for the draft, short season, unsettled players, new coach, a really young team and not to mention we already have a loosing record and with are group we'd probably chase the .500 record for the rest of the season... is that what les thinks the fans really want?? hell no. Give us something to look forward to, a draft pick a future.
I think Les has become Drayton. I think it's time for change. Having said that, and despite the fact I get labelled a Morey hater for daring to suggest he's not the incarnation of Shiva, I would love to see Morey be able to rebuild the way he already said would be easiest - losing leading to the draft. I would absolutely trust Morey with this 2012 draft class, provided we had a pick high enough to splash.
So by paying an average of top ten highest payroll in the last decade makes Les a cheap owner? Or buying extra picks when other owners were obviously selling them for cash? Couple of mil is chump change right? Oh, how about a recent example of his cheapness. Making a push for Nene and Gasol + Hayes front line this off season? No, that was just lip service.
I don't think he's being cheap. I think he values being marginally competitive for reasons of profit over doing what his GM has suggested is the easier way off of this bobsled to mediocre hell.
I dont see anything wrong with this track record. You can get angry and pass the blame to les for alot of different things over the years, but every deal that you just listed was made for the right reasons.... to win a championships and bring Houston stars. -Seriously, your really going to say that its a PROBLEM that Les traded for Drexler, who ended up being key in the Rockets winning their second title, because it was "to make Hakeem happy"???... are you insane or completely dillusional??? -Traded away our future???... are you talking about Robert Horry and Cassell??? when did those two players, ever carry a team to a title by themselves??? Two good role players for a superstar.... any questions? Did Les also want starpower to put butts in the seats???... Yes of course, but guess what?... So does every other owner in every single sports franchise in the world you genious. I will admit that Les doesn't necessarily have the deepest pockets of all the owners in the league (still a billionaire though), and there are some owners out there I would trade for if I could at this point, but the track record you listed is completely ridiculous, poorly thought over, and is all subjective opinion. Compared to other mid-market sports teams that flip flop owners every 3 to 5 years, Id take Les any day of the week. He's not perfect, but it could be way worse.
You have to spend money to make money. Les knows that. He can't go cheap, lose and expect the sponsors to line up. Besides, the past few years most of Yao's (and Tracy's?) salaries were covered by insurance. IMO... and no one knows for sure...Les runs this team for a profit as the main goal which means he must field the best team he can to sell the most tickets and get the most sponsor money all while staying under the LT. If that happens to lead to a championship - great. If not - Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money. But it's his team and his money.