Thanks as always, hsf09. I can't understand what he's trying to say here: What is the quick hitter zone.... Well, I don't understand the whole sentence.
Means we'll be getting up shots quicker.. 18-20 seconds left on the shot clock vs. 15 seconds. Quick hitter is just a way of saying a quick score/shot.
Yeah, he's basically referring to SSOL, which is what D'Antoni 'ran' in Phoenix. Morey even mentoined D'Antoni by name in the Jim Rome interview.
Joined again by Daryl. Spoiler http://houston.cbslocal.com/2011/06/03/morey-were-definitely-going-to-try-to-trade-up/ http://cbshouston.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/jr-with-daryl-06-03-11.mp3 With Rockets GM Daryl Morey. You were talking a little while ago about the process, and people you talked to, what went into this process? We started right after the season. Looked at wide list of potential guys. Narrowed it down to 10 key guys we really wanted to talk to. Worked through them. Think there were initial interviews with 6-10 guys that were we thought high potentials. Worked each interview...one was actually 14 hours which was pretty interesting. We love talking basketball. We actually enjoyed the process. So you had 14 hr meeting with a potential coach? Do we know who? Yeah, Kelvin Sampson. A very engaging guy, basketball knowledge very high. We ended up deciding we wanted who was a former NBA coach to take over but hadnt clarified that early in the process. If we hadnt had that, Kelvin a guy we were very impressed with. Do you get food delivered in a 14 hour interview? Yeah absolutely we did. Frankly the poor HCs, because we had them talking most of the time, I think you saw Kevin doesnt have any trouble talking. So those guys, we had to pause and find other things to do so they could get their food down. Obviously a smart guy. Knows the game and all-time great in the game. You talked in the PC about his coaching record and how you have to look deeper for the impact he had on an interm basis, but what might the name Kevin McHale do for the Rockets? Does today's generation of NBA players have an appreciation for where he's been and what hes accomplished? In terms for the Rockets, that wasnt a factor. We were looking for the best HC. One big area we think we need to do to get back to being a championship caliber team is the players on our roster to get better and feel like he is a great fit there. If all else equal, if one HC who wasnt a former player is showing a guy heres what you do and even if its the exact same thing, if the other guy can say hey do this and it will help you and I won three rings, I do think it has more gravity toss and something that sinks in better and something the guys listen to a little harder. We talked about what this team needs now to compete for championships. I dont think anyone thinks thats happening next year but what do you think is the expectations for this team next year realistically? Our expectations is we are a playoff team next year. Kevin said it was on him, I think its really more on me. Offensively, we're solid and dont need improvements there. Defensively we need to improve but think thats more of a personnel issue. Thats my job to continue to try and improve the roster and make it better defensively. I do think Kevin will be a great coach for the players he gets but I dont think its fair to put it on him that the defense just needs to improve. GOtta be both his efforts and my efforts. In a perfect world, there is no work stoppage. So lets say its a regular offseason. How would you characterize how aggressive you might be in terms of trading up in the draft, going after an impact FA, and how much is Kevin going to have in terms of input those decisions? We're definitely going to try and trade up. Very difficult...I think maybe only once ever has a someone traded into the top 10 without a top 10 pick. Usually its like a 6 to a 4. Its rare around the draft time to trade into the top 10. That said, wont be for a lack of trying. It it something we try to do. We do think there are good players in this draft. We think if we end up picking all 3 picks where they are, although we only picked our spot once in 5 years so we're gonna move around, but if do end up with 3 players, we do think there are 3 quality guys, if we can go 2-3 with those guys, we'll set up our future once again with solid players. As far as input, Kevin, the same input I've had with all coaches Ive worked with --Jim O'Brien, Doc Rivers, Jeff Van Gundy, Rick Adelman, now Kevin McHale. I absolutely look for coach input. All those guys have been good coaches and all have been ones that you want their input because they know what they're doing. Anyone on this roster locked in? Anyone untouchable? Yeah I think where we're at right now, cant look at anything being untouchable. We gotta look to improve the team anyway we can so... Daryl Morey
I dont know if that was sarcasm or not - But I think the inability of Morey to land a servicable center last offseason is why this team was on the outside looking in on the playoffs. Its his roster - as much as coaches get the blame for teams failures (only because we cant fire the players) - The GM hires those players. It is on him first and foremost to give the coach talent to win with. Clearly Morey has failed to find that talent the past two seasons although I do believe he has been handcuffed by Les to some extent because of their commitment to Yao. (we are still discussing Yao returning next season and I'd wager that has more to do with Chinese revenue than ability) Morey's had more hits than misses but its time to hit with a big man to round out the roster.
OK, Thanks LTF. Now... A shot with 18-20 seconds on the shot clock? That's not even enough time to pass the midcourt. And it is as much as 1-2 passes before the shot. That's why I don't understand. Interesting that not only he thinks that we can get a quality guy with the 14th pick, but also at the 23 range. We'ill try to speculate at the draft thread. - Thx again, can't rep you yet.
That's funny, because I blame Adelman's blind devotion to "his guys" like Aaron Brooks and Brad Miller for giving us a few of those losses that might been the difference in making the playoffs. Obviously there's an argument to be made for either side; we would not have been nearly as good without Adelman's offense in place and guys like Hayes and Lee running it extremely well, but you take the good with the bad. I hope this next year that our defense shows that it was one of the "bad" things about Adelman.
More Morey on 610. The most interesting bit: Morey said they are interested in Sam Cassell are an assistant coach. But Washington wouldn't allow the Rockets to interview him for an assistant position (though they did let the Rockets interview him for the head coach position). http://houston.cbslocal.com/?podcas...=true&config_file=config.xml&dcid=CBS.HOUSTON
You must spread some reputation around before giving it to hsf09. You do a ton to get repped here, thank you, but this is hilarious and deserves rep as well.
I think he means a purely picks-based trade. Obviously a few teams have traded player(s) for a top 10 picks: Brand for Chandler's draft rights, Allen for Green's draft rights, etc. So, IIRC, Morey is talking about:
Ha thanks. "Only once" I dont know if this is true or not has a team outside the top ten moved up into the top ten while not having a top ten pick. As Carl said, purely a pick-based trade. No players. Make sense? Did you get all of that? Also he also said/gave an example, usually the trades are teams that are already in the top ten and move up just a spot or two, so from six to four, four to two, five to three, etc.
Daryl on 1560 Spoiler How are you doing? John, thanks for having me on. Thanks for joining us. Busy, great time for the Rockets organization. A lot of speculation about the selection and process. WHat put Kevin over the top? Well we're looking for a leader. A guy with a high basketball IQ. A guy who could work with our roster and make it better. We know we have to get better. We got to do it primarily through trade or players on our team improving. Think he has a unique ability to work with our bigs. We have quite a few in Hill, Patrick, Thabeet, good chance we might end up with a big in the draft with three picks so thats another factor as well. As Mr. Alexander mentioned, we really feel the model in the NBA will be like the model in other sports where its not only a war of the HC, but war of assistants as well. How well did you know McHale from your time in Boston? He was the GM in MInnesota so I got to know him that way. Got to know him the best after I got to Houston when we did three straight years of NBA camps, similar to NFL draft combine. NBA does three or four of those and we hosted one with MInnesota three straight years and we hung out quite a bit at that time. Speculation that he wowed you in the interview process with the way he spoke, etc and you had to win Les over. Is that accurate? Interview is not a...its a time to check your background, check what you know but not a big factor. People can always talk a good game. We liked his improvement from the first time he was HC to the second. HIs teams improved, the players he worked with got better and were positive in working with him. You bring up concerns when doing background on a HC candidate and use the interview to confirm those or to get his side of the story. People are beginning to get restless with you. Team hasnt made playoffs in a couple years. We look at the moves you made, and I dont see too many bad moves, and yet at the end of the day, you're still trying to add another piece that can be impactful piece or guy who can carry the team. Or do you try to follow the Pistons model from early in the decade, getting three to four good players and try to win that way instead of superstar-superstar. I think the Pistons model is an anamoly. Id like to say we're gonna count on that-that's that, we're trying to put together the best possible team. I understand when people say its a bottom line business and we havent made the playoffs in a couple years, and thats what really matter, but the reality is, when a team loses two top guys, they end up going into a crater situation, which we managed to avoid and we're trying to make that turn without being non-competitive, and we've been competitive both years and in a way that gets us back there quicker. I'd liken it to...the past couple years have been, we're in the housing market, and everyone else is down 40%, we've been down 10%. From bottom line perspective, it doesnt look great but from contextual point of view, most teams that lose their two superstars end up in a Cleveland Cavaliers situation. Are you disenchanted with FA situation after last couple of offseasons where you tried to get the big name and got shut out? Sure, we explore every option but going in, FA is a terrible way to build a team. Last year, 8 teams had max room, looking to improve, and only one team left happy and they're in the finals and they're very happy. 1 in 8 isnt great odds in terms of going that way. FAs usually end up crippling your team from cap perspective. We're focused on draft and trade and thats the way we'll upgrade the team. We go after...does everyone prefer we didnt pursue Bosh and not try at all? Doesnt make much sense to me. A lot of things criticized out there that dont make a whole lot of sense out to me. Talking to a coach that you dont end up hiring, not sure of harm there, chasing a FA you dont get, not sure harm there either. Tell us about this draft. Is it deep enough? Something attractive there? Yeah, we got three picks in the draft. I think there is quality players down to 40. Not definite we end up picking three guys but if we do, if we can get two good players out of three, I think we'll be in good shape from this draft. Think its better than people are talking about. It does lack the LeBrons at the top. Think there will be good players until the 40s in this draft. Not sure if you'll comment on this, you may not, Kyrie Irving at the top of the draft. Hes a guy who has played limited number of college games. If you had the first pick, how hard will it be to draft a guy who you have so little to base your opinion on? Guess it would be similar to when you drafted guys out of HS. Yeah a little better than that, he did get 11 games in. I would say, there is no sure thing. When youre drafting one, you want a sure thing. A guy who played a full year in college. Watching Kyrie, I think he'll be one of the top PGs if he can avoid injury. Hes impressive. Thats probably the direction Cleveland goes. You're right, there is no cant miss. Derrick Williams has position questions. COuple foriegn kids who have buyout issues or havent played in awhile, there is a whole host of issues why picking high this year is challenging. People have asked, you got 14 and 23, why not package those and move up? Its not like the NFL draft that way or is it? Unless you have a top 10 pick, its generally pretty impossible to get into the top 10 of NBA draft. THe trades are like the 6th pick plus something for the 4th pick, or the 8th pick for the 5th pick. Very rare that outside the top 10 you can trade into the top 10. Thats because the NBA picks at the top are worth way more than the NFL picks until potentially the rules change. The NFL draft has no scale at the top so even though you're getting a top player, you're having to pay quite a bit, as where the NBA draft with the rookie scale, those top picks are pretty much gold. We appreciate it. Hey, go protect the paint. YOu've been reading. I read plenty. Appreciate it Daryl. http://www.1560thegame.com/media/?p=4151
He is spinning as usual. However, I am happy to see him mention that building a team through trade is a poor way of doing it, as this year only 1 in 8 liked what they got, though I think the Knicks and Bulls made out ok too.... Morey is doing an ok job, but he has to work under the rules of Les Alexander, and that is a hinderence, IMO. DD
