[ClutchFans] For Rockets, winning in 2012 would be nice, but losing might be better

i think its hilarious that morey says he completely agrees with Alexander as if that's a nugget of news.

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That's the tricky part.

I just put together a quick list of possible suitors. There really isn't a whole lot out there and some of the teams I listed are reaches.

Possible suitors for Martin & their trade pieces the Rockets might be interested in, if they were to rebuild:

Chicago: Noah, Asik, Charlotte 2012 1st (top-14 protected in 2012, top-12 in 2013, top-10 in 2014, top-8 in 2015 and unprotected in the 2016), own 1st's, expirings
Dallas: A bunch of garbage
Indiana: Paul George, Roy Hibbert, own 1st's, cap space/expirings
Memphis: Rudy Gay
Philly: Evan Turner, Nikola Vucevic, own 1st's, expirings
Portland: Wes Matthews, Nicolas Batum, Greg Oden (RFA)

Scola:

Denver: Gallinari, Wilson Chandler (RFA & currently in China), Timofey Mozgov, Jordan Hamilton, own 1st's
Indiana: Paul George, Roy Hibbert, own 1st's, cap space/expirings
Milwaukee: Tobias Harris, Larry Sanders, Mbah a Moute (RFA), own 1sts, exprings/capspace if they amnesty Gooden/Udrih
New Jersey: Damion Jones, Bojan Bogdanovic, Marshon Brooks, Houston 2012 1st (lottery protected), own 1sts, capspace
Portland: Wes Matthews, Nicolas Batum, Greg Oden (RFA)
San Antonio: Kawhi Leonard, Tiago Splitter, Davis Bertans, own 1st's, expirings (if McDyess doesn't file for retirement)

If we're being realistic it's probably only Chicago, Indiana & Portland for Martin and Indiana, Milwaukee & San Antonio for Scola. Maybe NJ.

 

It will be very difficult to get a good pick for Scola. We pretty much have to live with the Celtics real pick, which would be around 20-25. We do the deal mainly to clear time for PatPat and to tank a little. With Scola they can slide KG over to play the 5 occasionally, and it helps their offensive struggles since they can post him.

A Martin deal is more complicated. Essentially there needs to be a team in the late lotto who could benefit from Martin or in a 3-way involving Chicago. Direct partners fitting that profile include Utah, the Clippers, New Jersey, and maybe Washington. So we'd make a trade with them for a top ~7 protected 1st rounder. Unfortunately, we would run the risk that the team would actually make the playoffs and then we'd get screwed. So IMO a 3-way deal with a contender and a late lottery team at the trade deadline will be a more likely possibility.

 

What a punch in the gut. I'm not as close to winning that $1,000,000 as I thought.

Great article Clutch - as usual.

 

I think your overlooking the Minn. Timberwolves as a possible suitor for Kevin Martin. I mean KM knows the coach and is familiar with his system. Not to mention the T-Wolves don't have a true SG.

The only thing is who knows what Minny is willing to give for K-Mart.

 

All I know is that they ain't giving up Derrick Williams for no Kevin Martin that's for sure.

 

It seems like the only logical place for a deal is Indy. Martin and Scola for George, 1st rounder, and whatever else. But who knows if they want to go that direction with their franchise.

 

Yeah, you're probably right.

In addition to their young players (which I, for one, don't love) the Wolves have the Jazz 2012 1st (top-14 protected and top-12 protected in 2013) & the Grizzlies 2013 1st (lottery protected).

 

I think you have to read in between the lines:

There's clearly been some behind the scenes discussion, and I genuinely believe Morey is more interested in developing young guys, packaging some of the more valuable assets for picks, and trying to land a superstar, but thats no Les's approach.

Not trying to stand up for Morey, thats just the way I read the above quote. To me, it's clearly that he's been prepping this team for a potential blockbuster deal, but after years of not making it happen, I'm sure he's realized that it makes more sense to tank than to nominally upgrade year after year.

 

I do think being terrible is definitely the way to get better in the NBA, but it’s not the way Mr. Alexander wants to go about it. He wants to turn the corner, get back to having a strong foundation while remaining competitive


wow. kind of a classless, unnecessary quote. it throws his boss under the bus, and removes all accountability from him for our several recent seasons of mediocrity.

 

Certainly not how I read it. He is just stating how Les wants to rebuild. I don't see how he is trying to remove accountability from himself either.

 

I would be on board with Bima's plan for at least one more season if it wasn't for the upcoming draft class wasn't so stacked. Seriously a late lottery pick in the 2012 draft feels like a top 5 pick in 2011.

 

clutchfans ClutchFans.net
McHale very clear that playoffs this year is the goal. Morey had to think about it but agreed, adding the phrase "barring major changes."

 

Fixed.

 

FIFY.

 

Will this press conference be available?

 

I swear every interview Morey regurgitate the company line of "We are trying to contend" but mix in at least one nugget about starting from scratch again.

You almost think he has tried to get Les to tank but Les wouldn't sign off on it. And he's venting his frustrations.

 

He's gonna snap on Les on day LOL.

 

Thanks for the information.

When I say a high draft picks, it should be something like a top 10 or 12 pick (in this year good pick). I do not think any team will give up a top 6 player for a non superstar vet. Also, to make a trade easy, a pick could be from next year or later, do not know if that would be good for Rocket. I think Morey can figure it out if Les orders him to do it, but I do not think anyone can read Les' mind at this point or maybe he has not decided a direction yet before we play any game.

 

No, I don't think he's trying to throw Les under the bus. If that were the case he'd expect to be fired. Les has never indicated any unhappiness with Morey.

There seem to be discussions between Les and Morey as to what to do. and I think Morey is trying to argue his case more strongly. Morey wants to improve the team, which very likely points to tanking. Les wants to make money. But tanking can actually be pretty expensive.

Say, tanking loses you 4000 seats a game ~$20 in profit per seat. Over the course of the season that's around 4-5 million in profit. Some will be offset by lower player salaries, but if you take into account merchandising, TV, etc. It's very possible that tanking from a mediocre team to a basement team could cost $20 million a year. Then Les has to think, well maybe tanking won't even work the first year. So then you're making a $40 million investment to have a 2 year shot at a high pick. At that point it starts to become tempting to just stick with the mediocre team.

Smaller market teams have a stronger incentive to tank more. This is because even when they are mediocre, they have weak TV and merchandising. So tanking doesn't cost them so much. For mid-market teams like us, it's much more tempting to keep the mediocre team. That's why I think Les is not fully on-board with the tank approach. I have no doubt that Les is smart enough to understand that tanking is the way to long-term improvement.