The curious case of Morey liking media whipping boys in Bosh and Melo

Star talent is star talent. Some situations work out better for certain teams/players. I personally think Bosh or Melo would have worked out better here due to the way the team is built.

Having role players to compliment the stars is essential.

 

I think Bosh next to Yao would have turned out differently. I disagree that he was worth a max deal, but I think he would have excelled here.

As for Melo, he's not buying what D'Antoni is selling, and don't forget that Jared Jeffries is their starting Center. The team, outside of 3/5 of the starters, is a joke. We would not be 7-12 or whatever they are at this point with 'Melo.

 

So yeah, basically what the dude above me said. Stars need role players. Miami and NY don't have many.

 

Because the Rockets' strategy, right or wrong, has not been "get better by getting worse", they have to be more aggressive and less discriminate than other teams in pursuing star talent.

 

beggars can't be choosers (in trying to get a superstar)

 

They were available. I think its as simple as that.

 

I don't understand what question or point this thread is making? Every 'superstar' faces media scrutiny.

 

Star players shine in the biggest stages, namely the playoffs. I said before that I considered Bosh a very good player, even a star, but not of superstar quality. Still, I expect Bosh's value to be evident when the playoffs start for them. To be sure, regular seasons games are important in so far as standing is concerned (don't we know it!), but regular season games are for Luther Head types, and we all know how well he faired in the post-season.

 

Are you saying he was wrong for wanting them? Because he certainly was not. The Rockets are not willing to tank and sacrifice the winning feeling to get a star so whatever star is available by trade or free agency, we will try our best to obtain them.

Or
Are you asking why he isn't passing on 2nd level talent entirely in the search for the Rockets' next Hakeem? I would answer that three paths could've materialized had we got either of them: a) they develop further and get to the highest level of players making the Rockets ecstatic (highly unlikely), b) they would continue to produce as they did when scouted which is good enough to improve that Rockets team talent or even attract other star players to the Rockets, which still helps the Rockets tremendously, or c) their production would decline and hurt the Rockets, but with so few players of their caliber available anyway, why wouldn't you take the risk of options a or b happening?

 

Simply stated Morey isn't the best judge of talent and Adelman knows how to get the most out of the talent Morey gives him.

I know I'll get flamed for saying this but it's my opinion based on Morey's picks so far. Example. Morey loved Donte Greene. He said later that that was there guy all along. ANd the second round draft pick that turned out to be Dorsey was a bonus. He also said Dorsey was the center of the future. I understand we couldn't have both but we passed up DeANdre Jordan and Nicolas Batum.

Greene is a player in Anthony's mold and those kind of guys can light up the stats board fast. But just something about their characters that doesn't fit in with team basketball. Just my opinion but I wasn't ready to give up the farm for Melo and it seemed like Morey was.

Hell even with my limited tape and player evaluation skills (wink wink B-Thug) I could see Batum was a better all around player. Yeah that's right Batum was my pick in Clutch's draft pick contest. At the time I said who am I to second guess Morey especially since Greene was Melo lite. Melo very lite. A gifted scorer but not a team player and not a pure outside shot. The next year Morey drafted JT and Llull, passing up Bud and Blair. Adelman had to save the day by going to Les directly and asking for Bud.

Okay he did get Patterson. Won't take anything away from him there. He deserves props over me for that. I definitely would have taken Sanders and now I clearly think Patterson is the better pick. I can even see how he had Patterson at 6. I had him at 8. Ahead of Aldrich Monroe, Udoh Davis, and definitely hayward and Henry. I loved George's tape but wouldn't have picked him becuase it was a position at the time we absolutely didn't need help and the kid looked great on film but I questioned his chaaracter and work ethic.

So Patterson (if you wren't going to pick Sanders) was almost a no brainer IMO. From what I understand we would have taken Davis if Toronto had chosen PPat. If anybody knows different correct me but that was what I heard. I clearly would have picked Sanders before Patterson but that was because I loved Sanders Shotblocking skills a hard commodity to come by in this league and we had hill and hayes and Scola. Sanders clearly has shotblocking skill now. He is however much rawer than any other first round player. So Patterson was the right pick because he brings it on both sides of the court which I thought but I didn't realize he was such a good shooter and didn't realize he could play with such passion both of those attributes surprised me and to a lesser degree his ability to increase his vertical over the course of the season. So kudos to Morey for that pick but it wasn't Rocket science if you never wanted Sanders. ANd still leaves me questioning Morey's player evaluation skills.

Still I am not labeling as a poor evaluator forever. I believe that is a skill that only gets better with time and watching games and tape. More of that and perhaps Morey won't be willing to give up the farm.

Oh wait I don't want to forget Lowry but that was more about dumping Alston and his salary for a backup for Brooks. Okay that's all I have to say. Oh one other thing before the Morey fan club flames me. I really do like Morey as a GM with money management and stats. Just so far he hasn't impressed me as a player evaluator.


The Jury is out on Thabeet and T-Will. So I will hold judgement on them but there does seem to be a little bit of a pattern with Morey picks outside of Patterson.

 

your posts are quickly detioriating into mindless drivel in a feable attempt to declare yourself as an omniscient basketball intellect.

has dadakota asked you to pick up his reigns?

let it go.

morey has done a ++ job evaluating talent, but all gm's miss on some valuations. Jerry West himself has missed the mark on several prospects.

as per the op - - there is a larger talent pool of youth with no track record to pick from then there are available all-star type talent.

going back to rashard, then moving to bosh and finally melo - what you see is a gm trying to upgrade talent with the bpa and having to ignore the warts. it is easier to hide the flaws of these types of players by building around them than it is to find one of these guys in the late first round/second round. therefore, i think you see morey playing the hand that is dealt. he hasn't simply forgotten how to evaluate talent.

 

Well Bosh was the prize. No matter how he is performing now as a role player, he is still an uber effecient high post PF that would of been a picture perfect fit in Adelmans offense. Seriously you couldn't build one to fit better than he would of here.

I think Melo is different though. Morey sees the shift in needing stars to get stars. Remeber he even said he was willing to take on Joe Johnson to get Bosh. All star teams (Miami, NY) really just don't work as good as well built synergistic teams like LA, Boston and SA.

Who knows. We will get our superstar eventually (hopefully). I just hope we still have Morey by the time it happens to fill out the team.

 

Seriously, how often teams even have the 'opportunity' to trade for an above all star level player when he's young? You either have high draft pick AND luck to pick one, or you trade for one proven superstar/near superstar. Any one of the scenario's happen only once every 5-10 YEARS on average for a team not in Newyork/LA/Boston

Simply put, Morey have no choice if he really wants to turn around the franchise and compete for championship soon.

 

Amen. I felt dumber after reading that long post.

 

If you can get a young star player without giving up a high lottery pick or a star player in return, you do it regardless of the fit. Even if he doesn't work out, it will leave the team in a better position for a future trade for another, possibly better star player. This seems to be Morey's MO.

 

The term "superstar" has less to do with actual talent and more to do with media hype and PR and ability to attract free agents due to the hype.

 

bingo

 

I think those guys would be doing better in Houston than they're doing on their current teams. I think Morey evaluates how well prospective players do on the Houston Rockets and ranks them in value accordingly, while how well they would do on other teams is irrelevant to his rankings.

 

Bosh here in Houston would be posting up some major numbers. He'd of found himself quite a niche here. But, he got caught up in the hype. He wanted to be part of the cool crowd... Now he has to live with his decision.

Morey and Adelman gave him the vote of confidence, but with all the tweeting and childish behavior, it soon became clear he wasn't ready to assume the mantel of Elite power forward in the league.

It wasn't about the money... It just turned out to be that he was too scared to carry a team on his back; well after the Toronto fiasco, I can understand the lack of confidence in his own ability.

But Bosh under Adelman's tool-age would have been a SUPER STAR MVP caliber guy. Now he's just a Border-line allstar with carrying Wade's and Lebron's bags...