Morey Fires Back At Misconceptions - In case you missed it...

Actually, Gortat picked Dallas over Houston, because Cuban offered him the full MLE (more than Houston offered him). However, because he was a restricted free agent, Orlando decided to match the offer sheet he signed with the Mavs.

Gortat was actually pretty pissed about having to go back to Orlando and be a backup to the league's best center.

 

it seems like the discussion has taken a turn regarding to the 'no extensions' policy. I can see both sides of the arguments for it and against it. Personally speaking I am for the no extensions policy with some notable exceptions:

1) you have a clear cut star - ie tracy and yao got their extensions when they were stars and relatively healthy. let say the rockets had a guy that was a clear franchise guy (even if he wasnt a 'superstar') then i am sure he would be extended
2) you have a high draft pick that has shown considerable improvement and has the potential to be an all-star in the near future: (kevin love, curry, westbrook etc)

at least in the recent past the rockets have had neither of these. Closest could be Brooks or Landry but neither of those guys at least to me seemed like they would be all-stars in the future. Very talented players but not all-stars.


As for the no extensions policy I like it for a few reasons:

1) as noted it sort of weeds out mentally weak players and the ones who play well and doesnt let it bother them actually get rewarded for it.

2) you more than likely wont overpay for someone - I am not trying to pile on Brooks but he was the most recent player up for an extension - but considering the per year numbers that were thrown out last summer it would be a franchise anchor if he were to be given that sort of money now.

3) the argument that you dont get to set the market value i dont fully buy. Sure you could get someone a lot cheaper by extending him early but it could also backfire:
a) agents are always in the players ears telling them they are probably worth more than they actually are. so even if Luis or Kyle (as newest examples from last season) were offered the same contracts during the season they may have rejected them being told they were worth more. Once they hit the market they can see what other teams are willing to pay them and then the Rockets can come in and offer just as much or maybe even a little more. Unless a team is offering more than just the same money (IE a starting spot or a role on a contending team) i think most players will stay where they are if there are no other factors involved besides money on a contract.
b) lets say you do sign a person to a cheaper contract and they improve - sure they are locked in cheap but they are probably upset that they did not check out the free agent market and at least try to make more money. This could mean that they could get upset and not try as hard and also when they are up for contract renewal again they will test the FA market and could leave because they could feel that they were disrespected the first time around by the team with a small extension.

And again this 'no extensions' policy seems to be more because there are no franchise players on this team. As Morey mention Nick Collison is a fine player but on most teams he probably wouldnt get an extension and get to test the FA market and then see what he gets. But in OKC Nick works really well with their franchise guys in Durant and Westbrook so he gets an extension there because he fits into the plan OKC has with KD and Russ. There was a similar situation here with Shane. Shane fit in well with Tracy and Yao and thats why he was brought here but once Tracy and Yao were no longer here as much as we all loved Shane he didn't fit on the team anymore or its future plans so they had to trade him because they probably wouldnt have resigned him this offseason so at least try to get something of value that will fit into their future plans for him.

Right now with no franchise player the team cannot afford to take any risky investments into good/great role players. I am sure once they get some star in place that philosophy will change because they will look to see how they can "win now" with this guy and who that guy needs to help him and ultimately the team succeed. But until then the only way they can prevent themselves from handing out a contract that could in fact restrict them in getting that star in the future is by employing a no extensions policy and let the market determine a players value so that they will not overspend or if they need to let some players leave because of it, so be it.

 

Thanks for the clarification. You're right. Mavs were still a truer contender than us though.

 

True, but if the monetary offers were reversed (with the Rockets offering more money than Dallas), Gortat likely picks Houston.

 

This doesn't have anything to do with the AB trade people are still obsessing about, no offense intended to you alone.

Its been going on for 3-4 seasons.

 

spent an hour on a post, and it says error and disappears.

fml.

 

Well stated.

Another important factor is that Morey's entire modus operandi is to find players who, by league standards, are underpaid according to their talents and production. That means if he's got someone who's not a franchise-type guy, he'd rather NOT pay the league standard because he's confident he can replace that guy for LESS, or get a BETTER player for the higher salary.

 

That's his M. O.

 

you're far too emotional, almost all your posts have some kind of pms element to them.

Lighten up and stop focusing on your internet status or told you so glory.

A discussion doesn't have to end up with a pre emptive cat fight.

 

I agree with this. In fact, I'd say economists would too. And they'd probably add how the component of opponents "stealing" a player adds to their value, once they become free agents. But they'd say, that's a different time and marketplace.

Surely Morey understands this, so rather than taking out a "future" by buying an extension on a young player whose value may go up or down in a year, he doesn't buy the future.

And the other reason he doesn't buy the future is because he still owns the player for a year, and there is a trade component that adds hidden value to a player who hasn't signed yet. This is likely debatable, but I say it's ikely proven statistically; because Morey isn't dumb, and he chose a policy to not buy futures.

Question: Is there hidden trade value in young developing players who haven't signed their extension yet? We aren't talking star like Melo, rather Lowry, Brooks, etc. I think going into a season where a young player's value can go up or down, with no extension you have more freedom in trades (thus more trade value), which makes up any difference Morey encounters having to possibly pay a higher market price between Fall and following Summer.

 

what's the point if these C player become B players and then sign somewhere else. . or are moved. . and we find more C Players to become B players. . .and continue the cycle. . . basically making the Rockets in to a DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM!
Developing and Finding talent for the contenders

Rocket River

 

QUESTION: Let's look at Free Agents. Who we want to come here.

Now. We won't overpay them. Does this mean for a D HOWARD or a C Paul?
Well .. If they come to Houston, they will get the MAX . . given.
No matter where they go they will get the max.

That said . . . will we extend them before their contract is up?
Which is important because they WILL NOT be on their last contract
and
The big stars want that security before going into their last year.
Will they be lowballed if we do offer it?

I guess .. . . are the Rockets looking like a FRUGAL TEAM or a CHEAP TEAM?
and . . .do players know the difference or care?

The problem with firing Adelman for me is this . . .
I think he did a good job of developing players
He took that C TALENT and made it B TALENT . . .NOT MOREY.
We have to PRAY the next coach is a Teacher too.
Because. . what is the point of finding the diamond in the ruff when you have some idiot smashing it with a hammer?

Rocket River

 

From what I have seen, players of that caliber are considered a bargain to give the max to.

Its the tier below that and role players that one must be careful not to overpay.

 

Players like: Parker, Ginobli, Odom, Bynum, Gasol?

You mean those kinds of players?



DD

 

Right kind, wrong flavor

 

The point is, if you are good at finding C players that can become B players, you can be competitive while stay cheap. This is pretty much the Clippers' strategy, except that they don't have a Morey to give them good C players so they suck and keep getting high picks.

The difference between the Clippers and the Rockets is that the Rockets actually want to win big. They are just waiting for the superstars falling into their laps. Then they can get out of the Developmental Team cycle. AND they also hope that they will find a good coach at that time to guide them to a title.

I don't necessarily disagree with the strategy except the last bolded part.

 

Yet the known people the org has gone after are: Gortat, Bosh, Melo and Williams, only DWill might be considered a superstar.

DD

 

Dang, it I can't edit......I hit submit early.....I was not finished.

The wait until a Superstar falls into your lap theory is really risky, IMO, because most of the stars that fall into the laps are not really superstars yet get paid like they are....

Just my .02

DD

 

And ultimately, he wasn't overpaid. If anything, he's a bargain with regards to his production.

 

Yup, and if I you exhibit any kind of independent thought and question the organization's propaganda, people call you names. It's like being called anti-American if you criticize the US govt. People personalize the debate and engage in name-calling to deflect attention away from the issues.

I've never referred to players as assets.

Signed,
--Daryl Morey