When something melts down like the Rockets are melting down, there's always more to the story than you're told at the time. So I'm setting up this thread as a place to deposit new information about the past, as it's gradually revealed. When Harden pushed for the Westbrook deal, trading away all those picks and swaps, was he already planning to jump ship if it didn't work? How long has Morey been preparing his jump to the Sixers? Was he involved, under the table, in the Doc Rivers decision? When did D'Antoni know he was done here? (That story about how he made the decision on the flight back ... Come on.) What did D'Antoni know about Morey's, Westbrook's, and Harden's mood or plans? What did Fertitta know about Morey's wandering eye? What did Van Gundy know about turmoil in the organization, and did that scare him off? What truths or lies was Silas told? I'll start with a theory: Harden isn't leaving because Fertitta and Stone picked Silas against his wishes. They picked Silas because they already suspected the roster was going to blow up.
You're on to something. In any workplace the coworkers know more about each others motivations and mood than the employer does. Thats just how the incentives are structured. No incentive to give your boss negative info (usually).
I think @Will assessment is right on the money. I even think Morey bailed knowing this was coming and didn’t want to deal with it. I’d guess it’s starts with Harden. Then Russ says “wait - you wanna do what?” writing is in the wall, and one by one everyone bails. so why land a veteran coach and spend that money with no one left to coach.
I would guess that Tilman didn't know that Morey had already agreed with Philadelphia. Otherwise no reason for these fake excuses about family and taking off a gap week. He would have said 'we decided to mutually part ways".
Organizational culture is top down. Highly suspect there were lots of changes, big and small, that turned the Rockets from what they were, into a "Joe's Crab Shack" Combine that with the pushed through Russ trade, the inability to retain MDA, think it was clear the executives were ready to go. This type of stuff gets around. Harden/Russ saw it themselves, but also you start to hear things through your people. "Tilman is a laughing stock... etc." type stuff. I suspect Russ/Harden talked it through but otherwise, DM, MDA, Russ, Harden... all came to the same conclusion. That said... they ALL take blame. Regardless of the organization culture. DM made many questionable decisions (along with his good ones). Harden can't seem to play with other stars well. MDA is an "ok" coach who seemed to really enjoy the "play harder" approach to coaching. Russ sucked post break.
It’s been brewing since last year. For harden, he always had in the back of his mind he could assume his natural beta role and goto another team for a ring. For morey and MDA it was when Tillman was trading picks for $ savings
The other candidates were JVG who hasn't coached in a decade and John Lucas who isn't really good as a coach. We wouldn't have won much with the other 2 too. We must be honest with ourselves.
Accumulation of everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Tillman’s lack of people skill and as the athletic just reported his avoid the tax at all costs has alienated everyone.
Same reflection I had @Will . I have no doubt Silas was the best rebuild coach available. JVG and others was informed of the situation in the interview and declined. All the bullshit said in the press conference of working together Harden + Westbrick yada yada yada, like Silas talking to them was all just for show. This team was set to implode the moment they were eliminated by the Lakers. We had our chance with CP3. Then we went literally all in in with Westbrick by giving up the future. They failed. Now its time to trade the whole starting lineup and rebuild our future again. Period. But they all knew they were done, the moment House had sex in the bubble.
Once they got to know Frittata. Every single one of them. Once they knew who he was and how he was doing things, they were on their way out. Nepotism. Self-Aggrandization. Hubris. Arrogance. Mural. Book.
That one puzzles me. We already know Tilman and Morey were lying when they claimed that all the coaching candidates were told Morey was leaving. (We know that because two of the coaching candidates said they weren't told.) But between Tilman and Morey, how much was known or concealed? Did Morey snow Tilman with a story about taking time off, while he finalized his deal with the Sixers? Or was Tilman just lying to the press about Morey's plans, to save face reflexively, if only for another few days?
I'd really like to believe that Silas was deceived, or that he hoped he could talk Harden into staying. Just because he seems like an honest guy. But maybe that's hopelessly naive.
Deceived? nah... that would be too unprofessional of any organization... in the NBA? come on... Maybe he did try to convince Harden... but in the end he is just the young guy that got promoted As as Rockets fan, lets hope he is good.
My friend, what kind of face saving can you do for a few days? It is the opposite. It made him look like a naive dumbass that was betrayed and stabbed behind his back. It exposed him as incompetent. At least if he said we mutually decided to part ways, that would really save face and make it look like normal business. People do have short memories but not so short as to forget things in a span of a week. The humble Morey who wanted to spend time with his family in these difficult pandemic times making official statement...while inside he was probably laughing with glee.
