I applaud your analysis but your entire premise is dependent on the idea that playing with James Harden is so attractive that it will be the catalyst for free agents to want to come here in 2017 which coincidentally is one year before his contract expires. In essence, the Rockets will find themselves in the same box they are in now with Howard. I just don't see how that will make them an attractive destination for any player who is looking to win a championship.
Dudley was asked " is Harden viewed as selfish amogst players in the league? Also, is he a guy others want to play w/?" <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Def not! He's a top 5 scorer in the league.He has vision and knows how to make the right play. I could play with him <a href="https://t.co/l4Wl8QFPTj">https://t.co/l4Wl8QFPTj</a></p>— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaredDudley619/status/741320560555130880">June 10, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
ya, i don't think a majority of players would have voted him mvp if they viewed him as a ballhog. and i noticed in our series with GS, after harden made a 3 in horsemouth's face, they both smiled and joked with each other back downcourt.....i doubt there's even 5 players in the league james doesn't get along with.
I think the fact that Harden would enter the last year of his current deal won't mean much if, and only if, Morey and the Rockets go to work and bring in top players between now and next summer. If a scenario plays out where Millsap and Durant decides to sign with Houston next summer, I can only assume that is with a mutual understanding that Harden will sign an extension and be back to play with his new teammates. I don't think top tier free agents will look at the failures of the Howard era as a reason why Houston wouldn't be a team to consider playing for. Morey and Les most likely hoped that Howard would regain his athleticism of old and be Orlando Dwight because, without it, the holes in his game would be magnified. Unfortunately, we all know how that went.
Great analysis OP. It's disappointing having setbacks, but winning a ring ain't easy. However, I am glad we have a GM smart enough to see the big picture. I get why people are tired of "flexibility" aka can kicking, but I am glad Morey is always putting us in positions to be able to grab mid-season guys and big name free-agents in the off season. You have to have an for the future if you actually want to build something lasting. I think we are definitely a top 10 destination, could even argue top 5 given we have a top ten player to pair with another good talent(s).
Morey will turn the corner. I hope this season motivates him to think outside his star humping methods. I hope he gets to GM the USA team so he can GM better. I see a correlation with Harden and Morey.
There is a stronger correlation with their waist diameter. Both get infinitely crappier when they ****** away
Ill take blake griffin and westbrook. Ty. Both i can see leaving however to the rockets? We'll have to see.
I absolutely want the team to plan ahead. The problem is they've backed themselves into a corner thanks to all their prior mistakes like the botched 2014 offseason and p-sspoor drafting. They have to try to win now. They can't afford any long-term planning. Here's why they can't kick the can down the road a year and bide their time. Harden will be heading into the final year of his contract in 2017-18. He'll be 28 years old. He's not gonna be interested in a slow rebuild at that stage of his career. But the Catch 22 is that Morey may not have a choice. If big name free agents don't sign here, there's not much he can do to quickly restore the roster back to a championship level. And personally, I don't see why any star players will wanna come here. We're nowhere close to contending for a title. The reputation of this organization took a major hit this past season. There are major question marks surrounding D'Antoni after his last 2 coaching stints. And with Harden's pending free agency in 2018, would anyone wanna sign a multiyear deal with the Rockets only to see him bolt? So this is why the Rockets are up sh-t creek without a paddle. There's almost nothing they can do to vault into the Top 4 in the West this offseason barring the very unlikely scenario of landing Durant and either Horford or Conley. They have no first round draft pick and a bunch of scrubs around Harden, so they're left with very few assets for trades. And despite having a buttload of capspace, so will many other teams thanks to the salary cap skyrocketing this summer. And if/when they do strike out in free agency and have another mediocre season, Harden will be eyeballing the exit. Then they'll be relegated to basketball Siberia for the next several years and maybe longer given how often they waste first rounders.
Honestly, next summer's FA's don't look good at all. And those who will be unrestricted next season, a lot of them will be available for trade this offseason. I'm certain Morey's strategy is to sign a major FA and if that fails he will get into acquiring contracts that other teams need to trade to make more space. Old CBA contracts are really good assets right now and you can probably create a very deep team if you acquire the right contracts. Draft night is going to be interesting too.
He was the guy who discovered these players right? My perspective always is when you judge someone by his results you also look at what you give him to work with, for example in the parable of the talents the owner didn't demand like 1000 gold from the dude he only gave 100 bronze. You can't make blanket statements like well Morey has had 10 years we still have no rings, therefore he's done a horrible job. I do give Morey a lot of slack, but that's because when the team you are given to run started out as the oldest team in the league and then the owner wants you to get to the playoffs every year how many years does it take for you to be competitive? You act like the team had been given all these high picks and franchise talent and Morey just messed up everything and sat on his ass the entire decade. You're right Morey's mistakes are piling up. But remember also this is just the first year he totally messed up, you list down all his mistakes but conveniently forget all the stuff he did right like collecting assets for the James Harden trade and even being able to sign and recruit Howard. I'm pretty sure you voted for the Ty Lawson trade as well now you're acting like you hated it all along LMAO. I even remember you posting "Eating crow and loving it" just last year why weren't you complaining about Morey's 10 year bad job then? It's like you're bipolar, you just said Moreyt did a good job the other year now you say you've had enough and he's been doing nothing his entire 10 years as GM. Like I said when you compare his work to somebody like Presti you see the Rox aren't that far off considering they started out with nothing OKC started out with everything. Everyone thinks Presti's doing a good job, so obv Morey should be seen in the same light. I don't think he's done the best job ever (like passing on Kawhi and Batum wtf is up with that), but at the same time I don't think he deserves all this haterade. Like the other poster said I think Morey and Harden are the in the same boat, both have messed up horribly this season but at the same time Harden still shouldn't be traded and Morey IMHO should still be given a chance to make up for his year of ****ups.
Priority one: have Morey replaced. Priority two: get a top first round draft pick. I do not see this happening before Morey gets fired. There is absolutely not necessary to fish for big free agents since this does not bring potential championship before we can get priority two done.
I think it's a good thread but overall I agree with many of the other posters...we can't wait another year. I think the Rockets front office don't have the patience to wait around and hope we land someone next year. I think they will go all in on FA and also keep in mind, many of those players that are FA next year will potentially be available for trade this off season. One other guy to keep an eye out for is Cousins....if the Kings come out and play like crap I can see them trading him.
If the Rockets don't make the playoffs and do well . . .. MOREY WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE SUMMER OF 2017 AT ALL This is his YEAR. I think of the year The Texans Burn all the Salary Cap to make the playoffs and extended Kubiaks reign a few more years If Morey wants to be here next year. . .i suspect he better shoot for the stars this year Rocket River
Given that there is almost no way of fielding a team to compete with the top tier teams this off-season*, we have to set our expectations reasonably. I think acquiring 1 major piece to compliment James in MDA's system and signing a couple of good fit role players is a reasonable goal for this off-season with the hope of a bounce back year of getting home court next season. My plan A if I were DM: 1. 3 way trade Ariza & Brewer to Cleveland Love to Boston Amir Johnson (nonguaranteed, to be waived), Marcus Smart to Houston, #16, #23 & #35 to Cleveland 2. Draft 37 - Malcolm Brogdon 43 - Paul Zipser 3. Free Agency Hassan Whiteside Jared Dudley Bev/Smart Harden/Brogdon Dudley/KJ/Zipser DMo/Harrell/Beasley/Dekker Whiteside/Capela That is a team that I think can compete to be top 4 with improvement from Harrell and KJ. That, in my mind, would be an improvement from where we are now and would get us in the room with Blake Griffin next summer. *We currently do not appear to have the talent or personnel to play how MDA/DM/less want to and even if they could pull it off I don't see this team competing with GSM or SA next year.
Harden is a bit chubbo and needs to put in a lot more effort on defense, but the way he's vilified here is nutty.
Your completely ignorant to reality. Morey would be all about getting a top lotto pick. It's the owner that refuses to go this route... Whether that's right or wrong who knows ... But Les won't allow the rockets to "tank"
