Agreed. It is unreal and tremendously overreaching that a GM would have the gall to force down an elite coach's throat an assistant coach of the GM's choosing, and not just any assistant coach shadowing along for the ride, but the replacement for that elite coach. That is overreaching and idiotic on two whole separate fronts. 1st, an elite coach should have the autonomy to select his close cabinet of assistant coaches. Like, effing D-U-H to the trillionth power. First and foremost. But secondly, to then force a mentorship on the elite coach? I bring up a semi-dated pop culture analogy to explain this, only because my 4 year old is now old enough to get into some cartoons he wasn't around for yet, but how the whole situation played out is very similar to the moral taught in Kung Fu Panda. Adelman is Master Oogway, an elderly badass master and knower of all secrets to the art of basketball. As a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame (it will definitely come) and 1 of the most winningest & dominant coaches of all time, Adelman definitely fits the Oogway character. Morey is Master Shifu. Even though the latest 2015-2016 Executive of the Year voting results listing the top half of the GMs in the league came out recently, and Morey ain't one of them, we'll assume Morey as Master Shifu...who consumed with his own pride, tries to force Dragon Warrior status into his pupil, the evil and unworthy Tai Lung. Whoever was Morey's puppet-style, analytics schlobbing, Figure Head Coach in Pampers is Tai Lung. Master Shifu, so consumed with his own hubris tries to bring up Tai Lung to be the Dragon Warrior, but ultimately Master Oogway refuses. The relationship between Master and Student, Mentor and Mentoree is very personal when it comes to elite knowledge. Rick Adelman I could almost guarantee you already had his chosen mentorees, they were his chosen assistant coaches. You can't force in someone who isn't invited by the Master. You can't as a GM say "Hey Mr. Elite Coach dude, this Dip Stick here nods his head excitedly every time I talk, so he is to be your new project that you will mold to be elite like you." The journalists were right. It was idiotic. Hiring McHale was doubling down on idiotic, proving that Morey gleaned no new knowledge from Adelman's exit as he continued with his "Morey-eality >>>>>>>> Coaching" Philosophy. And you're kidding yourself if you don't think this continued overreaching mindset didn't largely contribute to Kelvin Sampson abruptly jumping ship.
Great post. Never thought about the precedent and impact it would have on the coaching culture here in Houston, and therefore, potential coaching hires. I've never been a fan of the whole, GM coach thing (just seems like too big a job for one person), but it's clear that management and ownership have overreached.
While cold hearted, and ethically (in the NBA coach book of moral code) it deserves to be questioned.... Morey and Les were thinking 100% rational to realize the truth that Adelman, while still a GREAT (although imperfect) coach at the time, was only a short term solution, and they were 100% right for wanting a long term approach installed. Asking Adelman to fire a coach that wasn't contributing IMO isn't a bad thing. You have to do that as the GM or owner and you see that there is dead weight. Asking Adelman to bring in a young talented coach on their staff isn't the worlds worst thing in the world either. Actually its smart. However it is doing this at the same time, and using it as leverage in a re-interview situation that came off as heartless and cold blooded. Its common knowledge that Adelman was coming close to retirement age, and everyone knew that his wife unfortunately was having health issues that would surely affect Rick's ability to put in the hours necessary in the NBA coaching world. Its also common knowledge that there were assistants on his staff that had questionable roles. This actually became an issue too when in Minnesota, again there were people questioning his assistants roles, and he unfortunately had health issues with his wife to attend to. Minnesota didn't get great years from Rick and its a safe bet that the Rockets made the right decision to part ways because they likely would have gotten the same experience. Rick Adelman WAS a great coach, but his parting from Houston was for the best although they probably made the wrong coaching hire for the Harden & Howard years (which they didn't think were happening), and the situation was handled wrongly from Les, probably Morey, and Adelman probably shouldn't have bad mouthed Les publicly as well. So let's just put a cap on the Adelman situation. It was time to part at the time anyways, and focus on the future... unfortunately they made the wrong decision after the fact. I'm sure plenty of folks here (like the Kawhi draft pick) are crying that we missed out of Kerr as coach back when they hired McHale.
Yeah i pretty much disagree. Sometimes how you do things matters just as much, if not more, than why you are doing them. If it was time to move on from Rick, fine, but don't force HOF coaches to put people on their staffs. Let them coach their way, or move onto other options. It's bad form to meddle in coaching decisions. And it hasn't served us well ...apparently still not serving us well.
While I say it was the right decision don't mistake that for the decision I would make. It was the right decision on paper, and I do think that dead weight on the assistant coaching staff is something that would need to be addressed if that is the case, but I don't necessarily agree with the Rockets decision even though it was what needed to be done, and there is good evidence to suggest they were right to move on, and good evidence that Turner isn't the right choice to be the next head coach for the next generation. The situation was handled poorly and they deserve criticism for it IMO. Les especially if he was that hands off with Rick, (and sounded like he was kind of a dick to him) deserves to be judged for that, and Rick himself should be held accountable for publicly bashing Les afterwards. Also in any other job it would be perfectly fine for your boss to have say so with who you work alongside, or at least have input in how you build out your team underneath you. When I interviewed for my job now, my current manager had to get approval from the VP etc. The only problem is as I mentioned "The NBA Coaching Moral Code" states that they operate under a different set of rules than the rest of us in the working world. Its against the rules of the NBA coaching world to have their boss meddle in ANYTHING they do, and whoever they hire, and more power to them for being able to leverage that kind of power in their jobs. So the Rockets should have known the landscape, and the "NBA Coaching Moral Code" and operated better under those rules... because it might have, or still might bite them in the arse later on with reputation, etc. Does that make sense?
Where are you getting this spin of Turner being dead weight and Morey's guy being young and talented? Morey's guy was believed to be Chris Finch, Vipers coach at the time... and a big load of bullplop that guy has done for us under the McHale puppet group. Elston Turner was Rick's lead assistant. His most veteran of assistants from 6 years at Sacramento to Houston. His right hand man. Turner was the No. 1 option for newly crowned Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger. Turner, 54, is considered to be one of the great defensive minded coaches in the profession. http://www.csnnw.com/nba/elston-turner-accepts-lead-assistant-position-memphis-grizzlies You realize how better off we would have been with Elston Turner instead of McHale? Or Kelvin Sampson, who we interviewed for HC also, instead of McHale? And as for putting a cap in it, it's as relevant today as ever....with credible sources...99ers, cyberx, and Codman nodding in confirmation of Morey's vulnerability right now. Morey's tenure is under evaluation. It's been a decade. The Adelman exit speaks to Morey's ethos as a GM and its flaws which are fair to criticize. It was also the lead up to the crap show we have now. What makes a great GM? I found this article interesting: http://www.hoopscritic.com/ranking-all-30-nba-gms/ One of the listed criterion: The Ability to Shift Gears Sometimes the best laid plans go to waste. How good is your GM at shifting gears when a plan does not go well. Is he malleable? Or is he insistent on making things work with the former plan or free agent signing, to prove it was a good decision?A GM can't shift gears if his philosophy has put in place a System Implementing Coach that can't shift gears. We were kinda good briefly. Not contending good, but 50+ wins good. Then the NBA adapted to us. And we couldn't adapt back. Everyone caught up. Guess what? Everyone jacks up a ton of 3s now. But some teams don't have Corey Brewers and Josh Smiths jacking up tons of 3s. We went from 1 of the best at defending 3s to 1 of the worst. It all leads back to coaching, which all leads back to Morey's system that has a Figure Head coach cowed to the GM's sabremetric-dense system. The Strength of Relationships: Some missed this during the failures of Sam Hinkie, but it cannot just be assumed that once he “decided to spend,” players would simply line up and accept his money. This is a relationship based business. GM’s and owners, and GM’s and players, interact all the time, and develop impressions of one another. Does your GM have a reputation of being candid, easy to work with, and does he present as selling success? Or is he someone others cannot trust; if so, why would free agents pick his program when they can make similar money someplace else. The Ability to Sell a Program: One part of the GM job is selling yourself, and the program you have to offer. At the end of the day, if a free agent sees 15 teams with cap space, and meets with 5, it means he sees all five as competent. Who gets that free agent to sign may be as simple as who takes their fine vision – when all pitchmen have a fine vision – and best packages it to the free agent. The Willingness to Remain in the Background so the Work of Others Can Shine: Nobody likes a spotlight hog. And in a business where you want elite coaches to stay a while, and you want players to give you their prime years, being liked is important. Is your GM willing to delegate and let others shine?
I was referring to folks like RJ Adelman getting jobs on his staff that have been criticized before. And I'm just speculating... that's not spin. I'm just making assumptions that if this is the case (why they would want to remove & replace) than I understand why... I mean in the real world that wouldn't be taboo at all. I'm not sticking up, or agreeing with the decision, but I am saying that there is reasons to do so if this was the case however shrewd and taboo it is in the NBA world. In the real corporate world, they would be able to do it so I get where they were coming from even though I don't agree that it was a decision I would have made. Obviously Turner isn't regarded around the league as head coaching material either or else he would have had a job by now. Thats not my opinion... that's the opinion on the NBA. As fair as it is, or isn't. Maybe Turner would have been a great NBA head coach, but all evidence points to the Rockets being right that he's not until they are proven wrong that he is actually great... so what team is going to prove that wrong and hire Turner and have success??? The last 3 or 4 paragraphs of your reply I don't really get the point. What makes a great GM???... its simple... one that wins. RC Buford is well regarded as the best of the best, but if he would have landed the #2 pick in the draft and taken Keith Van Horne instead of Duncan, how would his legacy have been without that one stroke of luck? Without Duncan, Pop would have never had the buy in from his superstar to truly be Popovich with the respect from his players that he has, and the Spurs would have never been the Spurs that they have been over the past 20 years. All of the Morey criticism are right to be had. I too criticize Morey for appropriately wrong moves - -The TWill trade -Getting raked over the coals in the Dwight negotiations allowing Parsons to get out of his contract early -The premature Lin-jaculation where he traded Lin earlier than he needed to and didn't get the free agent he thought he was getting -The Marcus Morris trade to Phoenix. I actually thought he was starting to really come along as a stretch 4. I loved Motiejunas but it was clear they misevaluated where he was and they could have held onto Morris another year or two. -Not moving McHale this Summer even though he had such success. McHale didn't DESERVE to be fired this Summer but GM's have to make the tough decisions to upgrade when you have the opportunity despite taking a PR hit. -among other moves, but those are ones I disagree with that Morey made. THAT BEING SAID.... If you look at the NEEDS of the Rockets this Summer, and you look at the AVAILABLE GM's out there, who is better equip to do what is necessary for this Roster better than Morey??? If you can answer that question seriously than I'd love to hear it. I've been asking and waiting for months that if you want him gone like DD and others do, who are we replacing him with? If you are going to b**** about it nonstop you need to own up to it, and have a suggestion for an upgrade.
If morey was truly out he'd be gone by now. Why waste anybody's time. Morey would've walked out already.
So is there anymore info on this? Clutch says if it's happening, Les is keeping this close to the vest. Cod says there are whispers (honestly, I could see Les say if the Rockets don't turn this around quick Morey is gone). CHI confirmed that he's heard something on this. So what's the deal? Also, Les, if you want Morey out why the hell would you include him in finding his replacement? Isn't easier to rip the band aid off now? I could also see Les and Morey hiring JVG, then if the Rockets struggle Les fires Morey and promotes Gundy.
First off, nice response and I appreciate the exchange. Earlier in this thread I conceded that Morey should not be fired. That would be terrible I said and believe. But to answer your question, if you love that Morey-style GM'in'...then Morey's prodigy Sam Hinkie is available right? But stakes are too high, and honestly too much f---d up s---t needs to get unf----d. And God forbid anyone dares to bring up fair criticisms of Morey lest they be told they're b****ing, but my recommendation, as stated earlier, was to keep Morey, but knock him down a peg. At the decision table, Morey no longer needs to be right next to Les with his mouth all pressed in Les's ear. Move him a few chairs over and let the new coach scoot on up closer to Les. Morey needs to chill back a bit. Lower the value of sabremetrics. It's not the say all end all. It's way too over-valued...so over valued that we actually devalued one of the most important things to building a championship team: Coaching. Capital C, in bold and underlined Coaching. Raise the value of coaching dramatically. Raise the importance of character evaluation dramatically. Analytics needs to stay in its lane. GM needs to stay in his lane. Keep Morey, but the technical term I believe I'm looking for here is Morey needs to get his pee pee slapped. Morey's probably flogging his own back inquisition-style as we speak. (I hope) He told Charlie Palilo this is the worst time in the history of his career even dating back as far as his time with the Celtics. Every interview he sounds terrible, like his puppy died. Hopefully he is staring hard in the mirror on an introspective journey. I brought up the Adelman history because it helps prove what all of us know, which is Morey needs to improve on his overreaching ways, meddling in all things coaching, and improve on respecting the importance of a good coach. Harden drove those 50+ win seasons, not McHale. It was painfully obvious, and self-admitted, the absence of any true coaching schemes. McHale or JBB, didn't matter: We were the worst at rotations, inbounding the freaking ball, calling any sort of clever play when needed, making any sort of adjustments be it in-game, or in general season after season once teams adapted to our grossly obvious tendencies. But in bringing up the Adelman past and linking it to how I feel it relates currently, I think I was able to get you and a few others engaged in a thoughtful, fairly intelligent discussion. Hey it's the offseason for us. What else are we going to do?
So much of your post is based in a false assumption that analytics and Morey take the wheel over completely and throw out all input from other means. You have no source that this is the case. I think the issue this team has faced has been from coaching, I agree with you there whole heartily. But to say that issue stems from Morey and not Les is hard to do. I think you are drawing conclusions on a lot of data that just isn't there. Also, I don't give a damn if Morey is outspoken or not. I like the transparency, and I like him defending our guys and our fans. I don't give AF what other teams think about us, but I like that he doesn't pussyfoot around it and pretend we don't get **** on by everyone. The primary issue this team has run into is this, when a coach wants autonomy they conflict with Morey. We need to find a coach who has a system but understands where his/her boundaries are. Adelman threw a fit whenever a trade went down, it was aggravating watching him do that over and over. Then again, McHale was on the other end of the spectrum. He was so hands off he was a players coach who didn't hold anyone accountable. So we have two coaches who had very different takes on how to succeed and both created issues. JVG was fired because, well, no one wants to watch a 76-79 slugfest. Morey made one dramatic mistake this season: keeping the band together. He didn't do what he always does, wheel and deal to get guys, and as soon as they are trade-able let them go. I blame him for pulling back, but I also gotta believe he was doing everything in his power to repeat what worked last year. Sometimes instead of trying to fix something a better means is to wipe the slate clean and start over. We should have started over this season, that's on Morey and Les.
Actually anyone is better than Morey. We know he can NOT build an elite team. It was 10 wasted years. How bad could any other GM be? not making playoffs? you will get lottery draft. Hanging around struggling on making playoff is the worst thing for NBA team, which is the current state of this team. There is absolutely no reason to keep Morey here.
Wow...you should feel embarassed to post things like this. Aside the fact that HE DID build a championship team, how can you not know that Les don't like to tank? Are you a Rockets fan or just Sam Presti's son?
I want to add one more thing here. (I should donate to clutch to get an edit feature) Every single real Rockets fan had the delusion in the back of their minds that this team at some point in time might turn it back on. Even the nay sayers thought it. We saw glimpses of it, when this team would beat OKC, SAS, keep things interesting with GS. We saw bits and pieces that made us believe that maybe just maybe they would get back to their old ways. I think Morey did too, because Morey is like us, he is a fan of this team. I can't blame him for holding out hope, but I also don't understand why he didn't or couldn't break this failed experiment up sooner. It leaves me scratching my head. Maybe the Rockets really do have the inside track on Durant, and Morey couldn't take on any bloated deals this season to make it work. I'm not sure, and frankly, I don't believe they did/do. Is this reason to fire DM or demote him? No, but it's enough to say he's used his last strike, get of jail free card, whatever you wanna call it, and he is now on the clock.
