How is this the team we have now? I think Morey had a lot of freedom back in the 00s when he first came here...he turned a turd sandwich roster into a pretty damn good team without "trusting the process" so to speak. Then I think Les just couldnt help himself and had to start meddling. This isnt the roster thats going to keep Harden here, and with the huge drop off in top end of the draft quality players (and draft players in general) I really hope the Rockets find a way to pull off a few more surprising moves and actually build a roster worth having or we will be trusting the process sooner rather than later. We have become the Magic of the West.
I thought there were certain provisions that he can opt out sooner if he wanted? At least thats what I had thought, Im probably wrong.
Tmac and yao happened Les doesnt want to tank Morey tries to get stars while keeping role player contracts flexible Harden/Dwight come in Role guys overachieve, team has really good year, Morey forced to lock in some guys to keep core intact Reality hits, Dwight isnt a star or right fit, role players go back to what we thought they were Les doesn't want to tank Morey tries to.... Any more questions?
idk who it could be or how or anything but if they continue building on this core of harden, some shooters and an athletic big it could be a chip worthy venture. Ariza still here, Beverley still here, Brewer if he can get right still here. Paul George? Carmelo? Maybe KD 1/done with golden state and comes next year? I don't think they're there yet or anything. I do think this team is going to out-do any Dwight/harden combo team based on the simple thought that everyone on this team will have the same ideas. No hurt feelings moping about or playing different brand of ball in the playoffs or having to prove to the media that these guys are ok with each other when it's obvious they don't want to play together. On that note, who else remembers harden forcing the ball to Dwight when the defense had position because he would cry if he didn't get it? Or Dwight in space not looking for passes? This year it will be capela willing to pick and roll instead of demanding the ball so he can try that one post move. This year it will be Gordon and Anderson in the corners instead of Brewer and Ariza. Etcetera.
I see no reason why Harden wouldn't be satisfied with what we'very done so far. There's only so much that management can do, and I think think they've fulfilled expectations to the best of their ability
Starting from when ? The beginning of moreys tenure ? 06-09 was compete and win now with Yao tmac arrest battier etc ... We had really solid squads but poor injury luck / injury prone players ... Still worth it to take a chance 09-11 was rebuild without tanking mandate .. Morey accumulates and flips assets to get us stars . Not sexy , not proven , but eventually works and lands us harden 12-13 . Man I loved this team . Harden Lin parsons Patterson Asik . I thought we were young and had great core . Dmo and TJ also in rookie years . 13-14 - get Dwight . Overall good season. Beverley breaks out , Lin is a bit worse , parsons improves . Then in playoffs Aldridge goes off and harden doesn't play well . 14-15 , offseason gamble time . Want to get bosh then match on parsons . Falls apart , lose Lin and parsons . Get Ariza . Howard hurt , but harden becomes MVP caliber and Dmo breaks out . Magical playoff run with smith and Brewer 15-16 you know what happens . Lawson ***** the bed , Dwight becomes headache . Brewer craters . We didn't have enough playmaking or defenders . Dmo hurt , TJ injured and ineffective . Over action to fire mchale and JB is in over his head 16-17 . New coach , accuire shooters . Question marks on d . Question marks on Dmo . We have some young guys that could play decent roles . Maybe Dekker shows something. Jury is out on free agents , have been inconsistent but the upside is there . We don't have as much flexibility . So we need signings to work out .
Last year everyone started the season thinking we were championship contenders and we completely **** the bed. This years, expectations are on the complete other end of the spectrum, so maybe it turns out OK.
The more upset Les gets the more he visits his vineyard and meddles in team affairs. Before you know it, in one of his drunken stupors, Les will fire Morey and employ the man-in-the-hat as our new GM.
I never believe in tanking away an entire season... but there is such a thing as letting potential develop - even at the detriment to winning a few more games now...
The roster turnover from '11-'12 to '12-'13 in particular was pretty mind boggling. It's about as close as you can get to replacing an entire team outside of everyone dying in a plane crash.
This is a definite transition year in Rockets terms, but it's slowly turning into the era of those mediocre NY Knicks seasons where people still paid a premium for a middling product plus Patrick Ewing. I can't feel sorry for Harden because this year, his attitude will determine who Harden plays with in the future...in every sense and direction.
