Daryl Denying Dwight, Analytics, and the Hard-Headedness of Dwight Regarding PnR vs Post-Up

but for how long tho? there's no reason to think Morey guaranteed Dwight that he can be as much involved in offense as he likes to be for all those contract years. and the promise goes the other way around too, I'm sure Dwight ensured Morey that he could still be a hell of a player at age 30, otherwise Morey wouldn't signed him to the max contract.

 

What's your point? When he signed with us, he had already been in the league for 9 years. How many players have dramatically improved after 9 years in the league? We already knew his strengths and weaknesses. We knew what we were getting.

Disagree. If we had given him more possessions, I think he would've been a more effective overall player. Remember, he quit b/c of his diminished offensive role. Is a handful of shots from the post too steep a price for a motivated Dwight?

 

Who cares what was promised? The guy SUCKED at something the org adjusted - and he failed to adjust.

Time for him to move on.

Last year was a great success because Dwight was out so much and other players like DMo were able to shine.

DD

 

The organization have Howard his opportunity. He failed. Promise was kept, at least in the beginning. He didn't keep his promise to improve his game and develop. when he was off the floor with injury, the team won and they stuck with what was effective when he came back. His ego couldn't tolerate it. And now he is leaving Houston kicking up dust just as he did while leaving Orlando.

 

The team clearly spent a lot of time trying to make Dwight into an effective player. He didn't develop to the level that he deserved to be the first option in the post. Other teams weren't going to double team Dwight in the post and he wasn't a consistent scorer when single covered. There are games when he could have received more touches than he did, but when he admits that he basically lost interest and focus because he wasn't a focal point of the offense in the post then it's hard to feel sorry for him. It's not like the Rockets wanted him to be below average in the post.

Do more with the opportunities he was given and he would get more. Dwight just isn't the dominant physical force he was in Orlando any more. A good player, but he isn't going to be option one for any team that is looking to contend. I don't know that he could be option one for a team hoping to make the 8 seed of the playoffs. I am thankful Dwight came to the Rockets, and wish it would have worked out better. I don't hate him for being mad about not having a bigger role, but I completely understand why he wasn't given the bigger role he seems to be wanting. Moving on is best for both sides, no need to hate him on the way out for me at this point.

 

so if we know his weakness, why rely on that weakness when there are better options out there? what are you talking about?

Dwight was also not a good post-up player last year, there was already ample amount of evidence to draw the conclusion that his post-up game blows. We didn't come to that conclusion just based off of few sample sizes, it's been already two years since Dwight sucked in the post. By your own logic, why not hand out more possessions to Brewer? Hell, it's just as inefficient as Dwight's post-up, but who knows maybe he could improve. do you also recommend that strategy?

 

This year's team was just infuriating to watch because for allegedly such an analytically friendly team, they did some REALLY stupid things. Much like the OP highlighted, Dwight was posted up WAY too often and between that and plays run with the intention of leading to a Corey Brewer 3 point attempt, you would swear that no one on the team team ever looked at the numbers.

 

My point is that before signing him, we knew that Dwight was a poor post player. Despite that, we offered him a max contract and promised that he'd have a major role in our offense.

And now we're mad at him b/c he's a poor post player who wants to have a major role in our offense.

 

Again, just all speculation. A great defender/rebounder combo (which Dwight was at the time, not any more) is enough to land you a max contract these days. Even Ben Wallace got a max contract (or near max) at one point. So, just because we threw that much money on Dwight doesn't mean that we guaranteed he's gonna be an integral part of our offense for as long as he wants. If he wanted to be, then he should've played better. Plain and simple. It's like saying you can't bench Harden when Harden plays like crap because we promised him to be blah blah.. does that make sense to you? You get the treatment according to the level of your play. That's how professional basketball works.

 

Let's say the rockets promised to feature Dwight in the post. It has failed. So the organization chose to do the rational thing conducive to winning, which is supported by data (thx cdrive) and the eye test. And Dwight says no, I want my post touches even if all evidence says it's the path to losing.

First, this makes Dwight a selfish loser. I've been a Dwight supporter and understanding of his frustration, but I can't defend that.

Second, the organization isn't going to sabotage itself. There are 14 other players on the team who all know Dwight sucks at the post. How do you look them in the eye and tell them it's best for the team, or that dwights happiness is more important than winning.

Secondly (edit thirdly), if there are FAs who are "turned off" by the decision making, then they are also selfish losers that we don't want.

Is there any part of this that is difficult to understand.

 

It's interesting that you you asked me that because you clearly never had a position as a leader in any capacity with any organization based on your point of view. "Talent" is promised certain things based on their resume and also based on whether or not you accomplish your goals with that talent performing the way they say they can. The Rockets did what they said they were going to do and they even hired Hakeem to help Dwight. However, industries change and diversity breeds innovation. You have to remain innovative or you'll fall by the wayside. You can't continually do things in an ineffective way just to suite an employee who can no longer live up to his or her potential. That employee has to grow and change or perform in a way that benefits the team. If you are no longer as effective as you used to be then you must change and accept a lesser role. This is true for any industry, change is inevitable and it's needed for progress.

We are talking about business here and it's not personal the Rockets are trying to win not coddle a 30 year old man baby because his feelings are hurt. Morey did the right thing and if he wasn't prepared to do what he did, he would not be fit to hold the position he holds.

 

Like I said before, LA offered him a max contract to play a "Tyson Chandler" role. He refused. So obviously, he wanted a bigger role in the offense.

 

Let's find stats where .82 PPP was the most frequent shot on an offense, and the team won a championship.

I'm kidding, that's never happened before.

If there's anything you can take as an absolute truth in basketball, it's that Dwight post ups and Corey brewer contested 3's aren't going to win much.

 

and like I said, that doesn't mean we guaranteed his spot on offense even when he plays like crap for two straight years. what, you think this is some kind of insurance contract? Why not speculate about Dwight making a promise to Morey that he could still be effective age 30? who violated that promise?

 

The Rockets ran post ups for Howard for two years and went away with after his effectiveness further eroded. This isn't going to have much impact good or bad with free agents.

Free agents know that if they are not effective they will not play. There are no guarantees. Also, I find it very hard to believe Daryl said "No".... Daryl never answers a question or request with "yes" or "no". He gives a dissertation when he orders his chili dogs from Sonic... So I guarantee you there was a lot more to that conversation.

 

He's making himself look bad now. The whole league knows he sucks at post-ups, and what he is doing is basically bailing out the Rockets on blame for their terrible season.

Seems Howard was a cancer after all. I told you guys this was not a good signing 3 years ago. No surprise how it turned out.

 

And fake i'd say...i'm sure people remember how things went in Orlando, with the Lakers...i mean, he's trying to clean his image but he's doing worse, at least in the eye of people with good memory and/or brain.

He should shut up and stay home imo.

 

I agree. I was happy when we got him but he actually set us back. We would likely have Lin and Parsons with some upgrades if Dwight didn't come here. We sold out on our future for a year and a half effectiveness. The way I see it is the Rockets took a chance on Dwight maturing and he didn't do that.

 

Yep, same here.

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=10505745&postcount=269

 

Dwight didn't have an issue adjusting his game after missing 50% and seeing that they were winning and doing well. He said he didn't want to mess up anything and wanted to fit right in.

Looks like he didn't have an issue messing it up so that he could look good for a new contract. He keeps talking about how he can get better and about being in the gym all the time to work on his game but he won't accept what he's good at.

He may have been promised a significant role in the offense but by signing a contract he also had promises on his end to uphold. One of those is giving effort and doing what it takes for the team to win. Part of doing what it takes to win? Recognition and making adjustments so you're the most effective you can be. He still had a significant role in the offense. He just refused to accept it because it wasn't his preference.