From reading insider takes surrounding trades, it sounds as if Morey's biggest flaw is overvaluing his own assets in negotiations, and to that same end, not wanting to "lose" on a deal. There comes a time when the proverbial "all-in" becomes necessary to get a deal done.
Agreed. Hence why Morey says "frankly, its never been done before." Not that you do this, but I get kind of sick of the posters on here coming out with Monopoly type of deals like "trade Martin for a top 3 pick" or waive Scola... all these moves that, while being bold come with serious implications that could hamper a franchise like Rockets if it didnt work out. For instance the "trade Martin for a top 3 pick" scenario I hear alot. For fun lets say that maybe you could trade Martin now, and maybe there is a pick involved that could end up being in the top 5. However, there are ramifications to a deal like that when you consider the salary cap and the extreme value teams have on draft picks that are in the lottery. You have to realize that taking a player like an Andray Blatche could be attatched to a pick like that if its even available. Which it probably isnt. My point is that these bold move scenarios that fans on here like to think they could pull off aren't likely in the new salary cap era, and arent likely to happen with a GM like Morey. For every bold move with the likelyhood of high reward comes an equaly high risk of dismantling the franchise going forward, and could cost Morey his job. Its just not going to happen with this front office unless there is a way for them to right the wrong if worse comes to worst and the move blows up in their face.
As a tangent to this topic I do wish the league rewarded teams who just miss the playoffs a little bit more in the lottery. Like maybe bonus lotto balls for games over .500 and the actual ability to move up to any spot in the lottery rather than just the top 3.
I think he's made mistakes, but I wouldn't include most of OP's list on mine. Things like drafting Dorsey or cutting Lin might be mistake, but they're operational mistakes, mostly attributable to luck/volatility, and not very damaging. I think he (and by 'he' I'll include Les to whatever extent he's responsible) made mistakes in: * Trying to win without losing * Thinking he could trade multiple assets he's picked up with incremental changes for a franchise-changing star -- its hasn't worked over several offseasons, draft nights, and trade deadlines now * Gambled and lost on the broken bodies of Yao and McGrady * Mishandled McGrady's 2009 knee injury, denying that he had a problem and insisting McGrady just needed to stop being a baby about it, when he really did have a problem I could say hindsight is 20/20, but that's probably not true because I'm sure a dozen people will try to flame me for calling these mistakes at all ('what else could he do?' and all that bs). I'll say Morey has taken some chances that have not panned out at all. He's still a good GM, but how long before he admits the strategy hasn't worked?
the counter argument to that is teams that have done a good job of managing their cap (i.e. Rockets) will be in a better position to absorb "poison" contracts in a deal like that. once the increased luxury tax takes effect, it remains to be seen how aggressively some franchises will shed salary. poorly run franchises were given a do-over with the amnesty clause leading into this season, which I firmly believe had a lot to do with the lack of significant movement at the deadline... but the fact remains they are still poorly run franchises, and bad habits don't just dissappear over night.
Not sure I agree on your last point regarding McGrady's injury (the details of that situation have left my memory), but overall very good post.
Did not turn Yao and TMAC into anything valuable. His wait-and-see non-GM skill killed this franchise.
NOBODY here believes that Morey made no mistakes. BUT ROFL @ these dumb armchair GMs. Lets examine this sorry excuse of a list: 1. He gave a washed up Steve Francis a decent contract. Morey said himself this was a big mistake. 2 years, $6M. That is nothing in the NBA for a vet. I don't like Steve but come on. And we were able to unload him easily after he didn't work out. 2. He gave David Andersen a decent contract. $2.5M per year and we were able to unload him once we realized that he wasn't good. Low risk 3. He cut Lin. We have 2 PGs on our roster better than Lin. And that isn't even debatable. 4. He didn't keep JL3 Seriously? Seriously? Are you braindead? 5. He didn't get Les to hire Coach Thibs. That is on Les. 6. He called his players "assets" which had a big backlash I'd love to be called an asset. The backlash was ridiculous. Doubt he is the first to refer to players as "assets." 7. His strategy to land a free agent in the summer of 2010 was a complete failure. All the good FAs wanted to go to Miami. Can't control that. 8. He didn't draft Iman Shumpert. ROFL gonna assume this one is a joke. Parson>Shumpert 9. He doesn't want to tank (debatable if it is a mistake) the last 3 seasons. That is on Les Seriously if you think that these are the only mistakes Morey has made, then hasn't he done a good job?
Nearly flipped TMac for VC back when Carter was an All-Star. Then TMac opted for surgery and the rest is history. Regardless for him and Landry, we got Kevin Martin, the option to switch in 2011 (which we declined), 2012 1st (which will be solid at worse), Jordan Hill (who was a bust which we flipped for a 1st). I'd call that great value for a corpse (which is what TMac was when we traded him and is now). Yao was absolutely untradeable no matter what. He brought too much money to this team.
Why do people keep saying he made mistakes in the 08 draft? He got us Ron Artest to form our own big 3. It's not his fault T-Mac had micro-fracture and Yao and Dikembe went down in the playoffs.
^^^^ this I think is the correct answer. Did not hurt Houston and helped the NBA as a whole. At worst we may get a lower draft pick from the Knicks by a few chioces at most.
Also, let's look at his other "mistakes." Rudy Gay trade-Better short term, hurt us in the long run. 08 draft-Got us Ron Artest Trevor Ariza signing-Flipped him for Courtney Lee a year later David Andersen-Got rid of him after the season, he was worth a try Marcus Morris-Too soon to tell Jeremy Lin-We didn't need 4 PG's, and Flynn had a guaranteed contract.
From reading these posts I get the impression that people feel that Morey actually evaluates talent. Morey probably evaluates statistical analysis and leaves on court evaluation of talent to the coaches and scouting staffs. Especially in a case like Lin who did not have a resume of NBA games. I believe a GM's job is to take the input from all the departments and attempt to make a decision as to which moves help the team the most. I seriously doubt that any decision he made went severely against the group conscientious. I can actually envision large meetings with power point displays on risk/reward and everyone getting to express their views. DM is just the figurehead of that process.
The lakers wanted Kyle Lowry and Scola. Rondo wouldn't mesh well with Kobe since they both dominate the ball and they would have a blaring hole at PF. I want to see what they're to do when Bynum's contract is up and they owe 61 mil to Kobe, Gasol, Blake, and Artest. Gasol's value will go down around the league next year alot due to his contract.
It would be nice if people would stop with the strawman arguments. Nobody thinks Morey can do no wrong.
Sorry, but it doesn't count as a "big backlash" if it only occurs on ClutchFans and nowhere else in the real world.
This. And this. Dragic has been playing better than Lin. Morey also made the correct administrative decision in cutting Lin. Lin's just a sensation because he resuscitated a losing NYK team, on a big stage with lots of coverage, and with a more compelling underdog story. Right now with Lowry out, I would still rather have Dragic than Lin. As for the actual point of the thread, Morey's made mistakes. He also usually tries to clean them up as soon as they don't work out. This isn't Chris Grant or Otis Smith botching their title hopes by making awful moves. This isn't Rick Sund signing the fattest contract in the league to a declining shooting guard. I'm honestly kind of down on Sam Presti lately too, with his string of questionable trades and moves. We have one of the top three front offices in the league. That doesn't mean it's perfect, but the alternatives are objectively worse.
Personally I judge Morey's performance in comparison to what I think another GM would do in the same situation. For example, since I don't think any other GM would have kept Lin in Morey's position, with 3 other PG's with guaranteed contracts ahead of Lin, so I don't consider that to be a mistake worthy of wishing we had a different GM. Especially considering that if the Gasol trade had not been recinded then Lin likely does make the team. Nobody missed JL3 when we let him go. He is averaging 6.6 ppg this year and is basicly a poor man's Aaron Brooks who is only playing due to Rose's injuries. Morey and Les went with the likely future hall of famer Adelman over then assistant coach Thibs. Thibs didn't get his break in Chicago until several seasons later. Morey has called his players "assets" in the past which most GM's in the league have done at one point or another. There is no evidence that this has hurt the Rockets ability to attract new players. Every team has players that have been traded which hold grudges against their former team's management. Morey's attempt to land a free agent in the summer of 2010 was a failure, and there is no reason to think a different GM would have had any more success in that off season in getting a superstar on this team. Basicly every superstar who has been on the market so far since Yao retired has determined where they are going to go, and there is no reason to think who our GM is had anything to do with those superstar's decisions. Morey didn't draft Iman Shumpert... You'll be hard pressed to find a GM who's top 9 worst mistakes includes things this trivial. Les doesn't want to tank (debatable if it is a mistake) the last 3 seasons and Morey hasn't been able to convince Les that we should. Some fans act as if we have been rebuilding the entire 5 years Morey has been here, when in reality Yao just retired at the beginning of last season. Every GM makes mistakes, and Morey is no exception. If you want to replace Morey, you should make the same analysis of what ever GM you want him replaced with, and see what mistakes they have made. Keeping in mind that it is unlikely that a current championship contending GM is going to leave his job and come here to rebuild knowing that Les doesn't want to tank. Morey isn't perfect, but he is better than most alternatives. Proof of how good a GM Morey is, includes the fact that this list of mostly inconsequential items are his "BIG" mistakes.
