[Chron] Rockets were after Bynum

I really think Bynum wants to be the "man". He's tired of being the 2nd, 3rd wheel.

 

With Iggy gone, he can definitely be "the man" in Philly.

 

I'd love to get the 8th seed.

It means that Morey has hit on Lamb, Lin, D-Mo, Jones, Parsons, or White. It means that this is a young team on the rise.

Last year it was different. The team was loaded with vets.

 

I'm leaning toward Feigen.

For those who don't know, Harvey joined the Chronicle a month or so ago as a columnist after working for many years on the sports desk (editing side) at the LA Times. So Harvey hasn't really had time to build up contacts around the Rockets... he's hearing things from people in LA. And people on the Lakers' side of the equation aren't necessarily privy to the talks exclusively between Houston and Orlando. They just know the Houston talks as it pertains to them.

I don't doubt that Houston had some offer for Bynum, but I don't think it was nearly as much as the Dwight deal. Even on the day (July 10) that all the three-way rumors surfaced, Feigen noted that the Rockets had spent much more time on a two-day deal with Orlando and that three-way talks were "on the backburner".

Of course, part of it is my intuition. I just can't see any sane basketball executive - not even Isiah Thomas - that fascinated by Arron f'n Afflalo. In his "best" season, he averaged 15 ppg, had a PER of below 15 and was one of the league's worst defenders. Isn't a particularly good passer or rebounder. He's 27 years old (no further upside) and has a contract ensuring him about $8 mil/year for the next four years. If Rob Hennigan really did target him as the main piece in a Dwight Howard deal, he's hands down the dumbest executive in NBA history and should be fired immediately. I still can't wrap my head around that, but there's certainly growing evidence that it's possible.

 

Sorry guys. This article is written from "LA sources". What do they know about what Morey was trying to accomplish? Do you really think that if Morey wanted Bynum that Orlando wouldn't have done a 3-way deal involving us and our assets because they just had to have Afflalo? Do you really believe that?

If Morey wanted Bynum, he could have had him and Dwight would have been traded a month ago. Didn't happen. Morey doesn't want him. That may change over the next season....Bynum may outperform in his contract year and get Morey to go after him....but I doubt it. I am convinced Morey does not like the risk of Bynum. Sure, he's young. But he's multi-injured, he's not explosive, he's slow-footed and gonna get slower. And we are trying to go fast. He's not a fit for what Morey is trying to accomplish. I'll be surprised if Morey goes after him in free agency.

Just because it is written by a reporter does not make it true.

 

Personally, I'm not disappointed we missed out on Bynum. I don't think his body is going to hold up well on a 5 year contract.

We'll see.

 

Lol that was a very optimistic look at things. For one, Bynum is like an hour from philly and they will have a good squad with him as a centerpiece. I think he's a lot more likely to sign there than Houston, and with good reason. For two, I don't care how well asik and lin play I doubt we get the 7th seed just off of our lack of experience alone. Like I said before Lin and Asik will be two very good pieces on a GOOD TEAM, we don't have that right now. What I do like is that Morey was doing what he was supposed to do all along, he did all he could to get the best deal possible and like he said it takes two tango. Bynum would've been great for us but Hennigan is an idiot, it is what it is life goes on.....

 

so bynum is the next "I how we get him" dude. every year there's someone we fail to get.

 

que??

 

Actions speak louder than words, don't they? Morey obviously did not value Bynum very highly.

 

agree, but why we didn't make it ? seems morey hvn't offered a lot for bynum as his knee , in my thoughts , we should take some risk to get bynum ,
enough for 8th or 9th seed , enough

 

Just because the Rockets were interested in Bynum doesn't mean they prefered him over Howard.
Feigen, who gets most of his stuff leaked to him by the Rockets FO had previously written that the Rockets were interested in Bynum in a three team trade with Howard going to the Lakers. So did Woj if IIRC. Harvey used to work for the LA Times for quite some time if I'm not mistaken, so I don't doubt his LA sources are legit either.

You don't know what happened. We all can only speculate. It may be your opinion that Morey didn't really want to trade for Bynum, but you have no proof whatsoever.

This "the Rockets made the best offer, so they could have had Bynum for sure" is BS IMO. The Magic may simply preferred the garbage they ultimately ended up with.

Obviously they like Afflalo very much. Don't underestimate the Pistons connection here (Afllalo was drafted by Detroit; two former pistons exec's work for the Magic now) and Hennigan had similar players in Sefolosha and to a lesser extent Collison in OKC).
It's quite obvious they are very high on tough, hard working players that lead by example.
If you listened to the Magic press conference it was also quite apparent that the Magic were really high on Harkless, who is a raw athlete, in some way reminiscent of a wing version of Serge Ibaka.
Believe it or not, but for whatever reason they may simply have preferred the pieces they got in this deal to whatever the Rockets offered (for either Bynum or Howard).

 

Hmmmm, yeah, I don't believe it.


One thing to watch for. If Morey is really high on Bynum, he'll preserve cap space and will be on his doorstep next year as soon as free agency starts with a max contract in hand. If I was a betting man, I'd bet that will not happen. I'm convinced Morey will be going hard after someone else.

 

No one thought the Nuggets where going to deal Nene in the same 6 month period of time that they signed him.

Don't be shocked if Asik gets traded at the deadline with Martin and some other sweeteners for Bynum or a Player of his caliber.

Morey does not give up and believe me he is not done.

 

So wuz it mistake to draft Lamb not Harkless?

 

harkless is a project with zero nba skillz right now......while lamb can flat out score..

 

That's not how it works. Morey goes after under-appreciated or disgruntled players that teams either don't need or can't afford to keep around, then makes fair to low ball offers for them. His whole strategy is almost like playing the stock market except with players instead of stocks, always trying to excise profit (value) from each transaction. Bynum just got to Philly. They aren't going to trade him voluntarily. If Morey wasn't willing to overpay to get him via the Magic, he definitely isn't gonna get the Sixers to give him up at a price he finds acceptable. Bynum's gone unless bad blood develops in Philadelphia. Forget about him.

 

I doubt we are trading Asik any time soon