[ESPN] Rockets to evaluate GM Daryl Morey, interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff after season

What was the final tally on how much Les spent this season dollar wise on the team that really had no major injuries? We know he had to eat McHales $12 million contract.

 

I think you forgot what the title"owner" means

 

The Heat beautifully incorporate not just one, not two, but three EXCELLENT ball handlers into their sets now and all three seem comfortable sharing.

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Coach McHale needed healthy bodies and commitment from his players to be able to implement this when Ty lawson got here. Dwight could still get his shots in this type of system.


This is what Morey should look to create for next year, with the right coaching staff, and decent players that we collect this offseason.

James doesn't need practice on his isolation game anymore. When the great defenses shut down our team-ball next year, he's great enough now that he can bail us out. The majority of games should try to follow this style of team basketball, and James must be given at least a second decent ball handler to take pressure off him, and keep him healthy through next season.

 

Why waste time evaluating JB? Start looking for the replacement now. If you compare Morey over the past 10 years to every other GM in sports then he probably deserves a raise.

 

It's a good one man show errr offense as long as Harden is [ON].

If Harden's off and/or you're missing more than half of the 30 threes you take...it's not a good offense. It's really a one man show on offense.

Playoffs? Slow it down, halfcourt basketball. Rockets suck in the halfcourt.

 

What kind of elite team has Morey built that makes him deserve a raise or stay on his position in any team?

 

Ya that's what I meant. They rehired Rosas. Anyone else they have added has been below the radar.

I think they need a fresh perspective and new ideas. It is very easy to get stuck in a rut over a 10 year period.

 

I don't think firing McHale triggered a $12m buyout, so it didn't increase Les's payout this year at all, since JBB was already under contract as well.

Only next year will he pay double salary, assuming we hire a new head coach. Note though, in the unlikely event McHale gets a new coaching gig or GM, Les' obligation to pay can get erased in part or even in whole...by a right of set-up clause in most coach contracts. Some even include any NBA-related job like TV Analyst.

 

Totally agree about the "basketball culture." That's why I favor a coach with a strong hand like Thibs. Team needs structure.

 

Also, I bet Dallas Stein gleefully enjoyed helping write that article.

 

I agree 10000 %. The issue is on the court and in the practice gym (and in the locker room) - the GM is not the problem.

We need a coach that gets this team under control and commands respect, starting with Harden. Bickerstaff is not that person. That would be my ONLY criticism with Morey - firing McHale and replacing him with Bickerstaff. I am saying "would" because I am pretty sure these were Les' decisions, so you cannot blame Morey for that either.

He is one of the smartest GMs in the league. I promise you that if we were to let him go, he would get an offer from a top team right away.

We can consider ourselves lucky we have Morey.

 

No I think Bima is right, Morey should get one more season to turn this mess around into a winning season and change the mindset back into a winning basketball culture before he is canned. But that's not to say that he's going to get to rest on his laurels and keep the same philosophy - he should re-evaluate himself and his analytical process.

 

And the best thing about Morey is when he does make a mistake he's usually quick to fix it and make it better.

He's earned at least one year if not more. This year has been a major letdown but you can't blame Morey for players not performing and giving effort on both ends of the court.

I still believe going into this season we had the deepest/most talented roster in franchise history. Morey put the pieces in place but they didn't fit. This summer he will get it right.

Now JB? He needs to GTFO. Worst coach in franchise history. By far.

 

Where are we ranked in points when adjusted for pace though?

 

#8 in off. efficiency

#22 in def. efficiency

What we need is a defensive minded coach. Honestly it's a miracle we're top 10 in offense and that's because of Harden's greatness and the Moreyball philosophy.

You add a great defensive coach (i.e. Thibs) to this team and we can be top 10 in both categories. Of course Morey needs to improve the roster. Can't have Brewers and Terrys coming off the bench anymore.

 

Exactly. The feeling I had about most of the players on this team is that they were not looking forward to playing this season when I would see them have a poor preseason showing, and then lose their first three games by 20 points each. Throughout this season, the players only played on emotion, and that was it, which is why they had that Jekyll and Hyde syndrome--there one night, disappears the next.

 

Morey is a good GM, and you guys will be missing him if he gets fired.

He drafts good, and have a good system to develop young players.

He put Rockets into good financial stances, so we always have flexibility.

He didn't find his Greg Popovic, but how many of that is around?

If Warriors didn't find Steve Kerr, they are probably in some miserable life just like us, with Mark Jackson and his religious cult.

Calling for Morey's head is ridiculous, but hey, its ClutchFans.

 

Jbb can't do the job. Can't control harden

 

Daryl's one failure has been getting the right coach in here. McHale was a good coach but certainly not the right coach to take the team to a championship level. Mark Jackson and the Warriors come to mind. The Warriors were very good under Mark Jackson but they were never championship caliber or even better than the Rockets. The Warriors swap out Jackson for Kerr and that team transforms overnight.

The biggest issue IMO has been (even last season) the defensive philosophy of taking chances. Disciplined teams that pass well have usually been able to take advantage of the Rockets defense throughout the McHale/Bickerstaff years. Way too often we have seen the Rockets consistently get out of position on defense by chasing the ball around the court. It looks like a great defense when our defenders are getting their hands on the ball, but when they don't it creates open threes that teams like the Warriors and Spurs knock down consistently.

Additionally, I would disagree with everyone pointing at our #5 offense and say the offense is just fine. Its also about consistency and when you score points. I think James is one of the better closers in the game but how often have we seen him nonchalantly bring the ball up the court with just a few seconds left only to get careless with the ball and either dribble it off someones leg or just flat out turn it over? The Rockets are so dependent on James doing his one on one thing in the closing seconds that if he doesn't make it happen, it typically doesn't happen.

Finally, Bima nailed it when he said Morey's only had 1 losing season in a decade (if the Rockets don't finish .500 this season). This is the only season that the Rockets have under performed in DM's era that didn't have injuries to one of it's superstars as mitigating circumstances. Daryl certainly is not without his faults. Coaching has been a head scratcher at times and he has certainly not been perfect in the draft as we are all aware of how good Kahwi Leonard is. He hasn't been perfect with the Rockets own free agents either which was evident as he let Dragic walk when we could have had Dwight, Harden and Dragic these last 3 seasons if he had only given in to the player option request.

Having said all of that Daryl's drafts are almost always solid. He typically finds value even though he has never drafted in the top 10 and only once has he had a pick higher than 14. In the last 4 seasons he has a signature trade with the James Harden deal, a signature free agent signing in the Dwight deal and has proven that his knowledge and ability to exploit the rest of the league using the salary cap is largely un-matched today.

Looking at Daryl's total body of work since he has been in Houston, he clearly gets a very high B or even an A-. I think Les would be silly not to give DM a chance to make amends for this season.

 

I think Morey's lack of success since being in the role since 2007, the decision to fire McFail after less than a year agreeing to a 4 year extension, and signing Brewer and Beverley to ridiculous contracts, and the Ty Lawson signing has him looking bad at best.

I think we are moving on from his leadership.