I think everyone makes too much out of the "assets" statements. Morey is not the only GM that has said that. On the draft the other night, former NBA exec Tom Penn referred to players as assets on numerous occasions. I've also seen quotes from the new Portland GM about players as assets. It is a double edged sword from the players point of view... On one hand, you want the security of staying with the team you choose, but on the other hand, players are constantly wanting better supporting casts. Players don't want to be traded, but they don't really have a problem with their teammates being moved. (obviously, some exceptions apply) How do players view the Denver after trading Billups twice, and Nene less than 4 months after he signed a 5 year deal there. If you want to win, you can't get hung up on loyalty. I think Morey's value as a GM will come once the star is in place. For all the complaining about what he has done, what GM has successfully traded for a centerpiece lately? (I do not count Melo) Billy King got DWill, but then gave up the #6 pick in the draft for a couple of months of GWallace? How well did tanking work for the Bobcats? If the Rockets can get that cornerstone, then Morey can continue to poach talented role players from the bottom of other teams depth charts. The problem is there aren't superstars buried on benches. Houston's primary problem with attracting free agents and stars is an outdated media spin that you have to be in LA, NY, or CHI to make money. In the modern era, where fans can follow/watch from anywhere in the world, does it really matter where you are? Did the world really not know Lebron because he was in Cleveland? I've been a Rockets fan for over 20 years and have lived in WV & OH exclusively. I used to be lucky to see half a dozen HOU games a year, but now watch every game on league pass. Is Kevin Durant any less popular because he's in OKC?
Morey will have little or no contact with the players once the contract is signed. He will be going through their agents. The players talk to the coaches, the agents talk to the front office.
I would imagine the reason free agents aren't interested in Houston is because they haven't been relevant in 15 years unfortunately.
I agree that perhaps his views as seen players as "assets" may have rubbed some Rocket players and players around the league the wrong way. We may attract a lot of players however the all-stars wants to play with other stars and until we get one they will hesitate coming here. All Morey can do is focus on landing a star through draft or free agency and then another star will follow, which is what I believe he is trying to do. If your a player your more focused on liking the coach and the other players and a little less on the GM, even though that relationship is important.
Any smart NBA player (which means probably not the majority of them) would realize there are about 4-5 players in the entire league whose teams would not trade them in the right deal. EVERYONE else could be traded "at any time." I have no idea why some of you insist that Morey behaves any differently in this regard. Mitch Kupcake traded Odom and Fisher -- two mainstays of the Lakers' last title run -- in the same year.
This a billion times. And as others have said - Houston is not currently a desirable location because we have no stars. We don't even have any players that are widely viewed as potential stars. Clyde wanted to come to Houston for two reasons: 1. It's home but 2. Hakeem Olajuwon. Scottie Pippen wanted to come because we had both Dream and Clyde. Barkley wanted to come because we had Dream and Clyde. McGrady wanted to come because we had Yao. That's just how it works. Of course players aren't tripping over each other lining up to play with Lowry and Scola.
So let me get this straight...stars attract other stars to come. Which means... You can not get a star unless you have a star and you can not create a star from role players. So can someone please explain to me what Morey is trying to do if this is the inevitability of the NBA? We attracted Barkley, Drexler, Pippen, and Mcgrady from Hakeem and Yao. What did those two have in common? Seems that the answer is clear as day, not even someone as sharp as Morey can get around the "system" in place in the NBA. Be bad one year, have great talent evaluators and a great coach in place, catch lightning in a bottle (Duncan, Griffin, Love, Rubio, Durant, James, etc) and be relevant for years to come.
Because Morey is far more "Out there" in the press, most GMs are not as visible, and I think that hurts the Rockets rep overall. DD
Exactly. Unless the Rockets were going to pay me way more than any other team, why would I want to go to a team that treats their players like pawns in a chess game. I understand that's part of the game, but it really seems like over the past few years, we're getting much worse about it.
