This is moronic. The Ron Artest move was brilliant no matter how you spin it. The only reason that people are focusing so much more on Artest's performance now is because McGrady is out. Otherwise, we wouldn't have to worry very much about an Artest chokejob in the playoffs. I mean for god's sake, Morey got Artest on the last year of his contract for a 35-year-old Bobby Jackson... Bobby freakin Jackson!!! Morey gets an A+ by all accounts. He's done so much with so little.
SUCCESS: Morey is slowly deepening the team. Dawson had a habit of consolidating developing talent for older players. He also didn't draft very well, so we didn't have much young depth to start with. As a result, this team has had a couple stars and nothing to back them up in the past. Now we have a deep bench that can win without it's best player. I consider this a MAJOR accomplishment given the time he did it in. FAILURE: I don't think he has done anything that could be considered a complete failure yet. I think he has made the most of what he has, and any shortcomings that get us knocked out of the playoffs are not his fault. MISTAKE: Battier for Gay. Yes, I'm still bitter, but I can definitely see this both ways. I've always believed it was a mistake in strategy if not in reality. I always thought a McGrady replacement was more important than a super-role player.
Durvasa, thomas is pretty good when he plays. His contract also falls off the same yr as tracy. I've never said he was great, but his skill level and versitility is the big bonus. Has anyone called matt bonner a good defender? What he does is increase the travel distance to parker and duncan. Thomas is better than bonner plus he has shown come playoff time he plays well. I think beno would be a pretty good pg in the rox offense. He's a good ball handler, a great shooter and under control. The wolves cut the guy as soon as they got him from spurs. He played well enough when bibby was out to trade bibby. Anderson or Turiaf wouldve been good for the rox. They're size,athleticism , and defensive abilities made more sense than landry.I When people were screaming turiaf was overpaid, I look at it different. For 4m, you get a 2m backup 4 and backup center. You put him in a 32min rotation with yao and scola and the team is better defensively.
Beno might be a fine young player. But we're still without another PG in your scenario. I suppose we could pick one up off the scrap heap of the D-League. But, you have to admit, your trade proposals are severely sacrificing PG depth for front court depth. As for Tim Thomas, what does he bring that Brian Cook does not? I know Cook was another player you thought we should acquire. Well, we got him. He's not injured, to my knowledge. And Adelman isn't playing him except in garbage time. What makes you think that Adelman wouldn't treat Tim Thomas the same way? Imagine if we gave up our starting PG for a guy we're paying 6 1/2 million to that hardly contributes. In retrospect, the Brent Barry signing doesn't look to have paid off as well as I (or I'm sure the Rockets) hoped. Picking up Von Wafer seems to made up for that, though. I do agree with you that we would have been better off signing an athletic backup C who can play defense before the season. Maybe Morey thought Dorsey could have been that guy, despite being a little undersized. That pick clearly hasn't worked out either.
I sorta agree with the incomplete grade cause IMO Morey is not done reshaping this roster. He's stated right after the trade deadline that he's still looking to add one more significant piece to the roster. Plus Morey is in a bit of a quandary of adding pieces that helps in the win now mode and fits the Yao centric team, but also making sure there is enough flexibility for the future and not making the team too old and limited. It's not like he can be Kevin Pritchard of the Blazers and just load up on young unproven draft picks because the core of the team is young and have alot of years to grow. I'd be shocked if Morey doesn't use Cook's expiring contract (Cook will pick up his player option) in combination with another player or alone to get that other significant piece. Maybe Shane and Cook for someone like Tayshaun Prince (Pistons shed money in the process and Rockets get a younger more complete player).
That would be fantastic. Prince gives you the same coach on the floor type personality as Battier, but he's a skilled offensive player.
I've said before, you are as good as your record is, in a real world, not a fan world. I can add in more analysis: but add this second rule first: A decision maker should be judged on the things he doesn't do as much as the things he does do. The main disappointment I have are: a) inability to find a backup center. b) inability to find a point. We've been through MJames, SF3 etc, in the end, old Rafer battles out on top, here's hoping Lowry can amount to something).
