If the Rockets assemble a 20-win team, will you still consume them

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You bring up a very good point. Only 1 team out of 30 can win a championship, so to win it all is a darn hard thing to do. Just ask the Mavs about it, who have been perennial contenders for years.

For us, it has been years since we have been serious contenders and except for an exciting and disappointing second round exit against the Lakers 3 years ago, we haven't done squat for 15+ years. That is a long, long time ago.

I miss the excitment of having deep playoff runs. Just having the Rockets being relevant again would be almost good enough for me. Chips are the next step to that.

 

You are right. Asking this question on a rabid fan site to a bunch of rabid fans will of course skew the answer. If we have anything more than one losing season, maybe even just one, the franchise will surely take a hit financially.

The question is, what are the priorities of the guys in charge? Short term financial gain? Or winning the whole thing?

I don't think we are that far(at all) from a Memphis Grizzlies or Atlanta Hawks or Phili 76ers or Denver Nuggets. A few moves here and there, a half way competent center and we are there. Competing in the playoffs, maybe even pulling off a few upsets like the Grizz did. The general(read:clueless) fan base would be appeased, and the team would be stable financially. It really does make a lot of sense. But IMO those are the teams who are truly selfish. Because in reality they have ZERO shot at winning a championship, and if you aren't in it to win the whole thing, then there is no point at all. Of course there is a point, for management it brings in more money in the short run and is the safer bet, which I guess is kind of your point. But for us rabid fans, if there is no chance to win it then there is no point at all.

While Sacromento is an example of the RISK that going all in presents, they are not the best example. Some of the reason why their fanbase has dissipated to this extent is the length that their rebuilding has taken. In 2007 and 2008, when they should have started rebuilding the second Adelman left(much like us), they made the mistake of trying to compete with a roster that was going nowhere(much like us). That resulted in mediocre to slightly below mediocre seasons with mediocre draft picks to show for it(much like us). Only the last two season, since trading Kevin Martin(much like us?) have they had the chance to draft some players you can actually build your team around. But it has already been 4 years since they should've started rebuilding in the first place and the fans are too far gone at this point. Hopefully we don't make the same mistake and wait another 2 years before figuring out that is the path we want to take. That is a sure way to lose your fan base.

On the other side of the coin, the Thunder went through a similar rebuilding, trading their top two players who were leading them nowhere in Lewis and Allen, and building around their high pick. Obviously they are where they are because there were lucky enough to get Durant. But you have to put yourself in a position to get lucky by having a high pick in the first place. You will never get a Durant, or Lebron, or Rose, or Dwight with a 40+ win record. You won't be able to trade for one, and you won't be able to sign one unless you already have the other(the one you already tanked to get).

IMO, those are the type of guys you need to win a championship. Maybe not on a spreadsheet, but in reality. We saw it in game 7 with Memphis and OKC. When the game was still tight in the first half, the Thunder were allowed to get away with murder on "defense" and all the calls went their way. Reality is it is a star's league not only because they make the winning shots, but also because they bring in the tickets. Which means when push comes to shove and two teams are neck and neck, the league will side with the ticket-bringers. Business is business. I think Morey realizes this, which is why he is so infatuated with "stars" like Melo, even when advanced statistics would suggest otherwise. I think he realizes while some things work in theory, and it isn't a waste to pursue those things, sometimes you still have to forget the theories and be a realist. I think his MBA helps out in that department.

Okay, sorry for the tangents and OMResque rant. I'll spare the tall tales of betting on ponies as a lad in the '20s. My point is if you want one of those guys, the guys that can bring home a championship, there is really only one way to get them. The team will most likely suffer financially in the short term for it, so management has a decision to make. Play it safe, stability, and compete? Or take some risk, even financially, and give yourself a shot to contend?

 

For the first time in about 20 years of being a Rocket fan I barely saw any games last year. Less then five probably. I just keep up with the scores, etc.

We are a joke and it ****ing sucks how we have no long term plan!

 

I will watch at the same rate.

 

I would, but it depends more on the organization than their win record. I don't like the way they've treated some players, and their coaches. I don't like the idea of how they're building their team which seems to get players who surpass expectations but still aren't enough to make the team contenders.

If we combine that with healthy and valid superstars we would have something. But the organization seems to have declined in how they treat their employees. I do still like the players on the team a lot so I'd probably still consume them the same amount.

 

The only thing that would stop me from watching every game is if the team QUITS on the coach. Players playing without enthusiasm or no effort is a game stopper for me. Don't care how many games or points we lose by if the team as a whole are still giving max output!

 

Consume what? Carl you are gay!

 

I watched less Rox games last season. The combination of a crappy start and our franchise center flaming out early had a lot to do with my lost enthusiasm.

 

This poll clearly illustrates why Morey isn't interested in the tanking strategy. When a team loses 35-40% of it's fan base, that means 30-40% decrease in REVENUE. And that would likely mean Morey would lose his J-O-B. And it would even be more likely that we would be in the lottery for several years running.


Remember....if it wasn't for Portland picking Oden, Presti would be known as a very pedestrian GM today, if he was still employed.

 

I kind of agree with Clutch except I'm hard pressed right now to see what kind of direction (if any) the Rockets are taking. They appear to be somewhat adrift as Morey isn't sure what to do. But to get the top draft picks would mean they would have to be a lotto team again and I'm not sure how well that would sell in Houston right now given the sorry state of the Astros & Texans. However, this appears to be what the organization is banking on happening which is why I believe Adelman was let go - because he'd win too many games to get them into high draft pick land next season.

I'm really not all that enthused with the kind of talent DM has assembled as they appear to only somewhat better than than average and that's not really going to cut it in the West. One only has to look at the level of play going on during these NBA playoffs to see just how far away the Rockets really are from being true contenders.

 

Do you think Morey trying to preserve his job is the right kind of motivation behind someone guiding the future of our franchise? Do you think preserving revenue is a worthy alternative to pursuing a championship? If not, would you be happy with the direction of the team if that was what drove the front office's decision making?

Personally, I don't think you are characterizing Morey 100% correctly. If he wanted to preserve revenue and squeeze out a few extra wins so badly, he wouldn't have fired their HOF coach. What was it that he said? "What's the point if you aren't going to take chances?" Or something to that effect? Sounds to be the opposite of what you are describing.

If the Seattle Supersonics weren't in the high lotto to begin with, and held onto Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, Presti would still be combing over studs like Mouhamed Sene and Johan Petro for the pick of the litter every draft.

 

Morey works for Les, whatever Morey does let us not all forget that he is following the orders from above.

As I see it, Les does not want to go full tank mode, whether or not Morey thinks it would be beneficial in the long run, it just is not going to happen.


Also, Les likes all the attention and money Yao brings to his wallet, thus I think he will re-sign Yao regardless of what anyone else thinks, including Morey.

I hope that there is some middle ground and that Morey can work a miracle and get a superstar without tanking.

DD

 

You may be right.

But the Yao money has to be starting to dry up. A guy cant garner continued attention sitting on the bench unable to play. If Yao cant play again this year, im betting the Chinese audience starts to look for a new hero.

As far as tanking goes, I dont think we have to to get a high draft pick. We need to narrow our trades (where we get 1st round picks in return) to teams that will be near the bottom. The Jazz and Cleveland landed #3 and #4 because of trades (did I get that right?)

Anyway, I dont like or agree with the tank theory. Bad Business. Have to give props to Les here.

 

I can't help but watch them. It's an addiction. Maybe if Bud Adams bought the team from Less and moved it to Jacksonville. Yeah, that would do it.

 

Nobody gets excited watching a 20 win team play towards 20 wins, but it sure will be exciting come the lottery time like Cleveland just had. Do I prefer winning and tweaking like the Lakers and Spurs -- of course. But looks like we need to some step backwards at this point in order to go forward.

No I will not "consume" a 20 win team, but I will definitely be entertained by the prospects of high lottery picks as a result of it.
Neither would I "consume" a 44 win team that never makes the playoff much more than a 20 win team. I wouldn't be excited by the consequence of that scenario as well.

Yeah, let's tank and hire the video guy to make sure we are not going to fxxk that up.

 

That would do it for me also. In fact, I quit on the Oilers for good after that (although I mostly quit on them after blowing that 30+ point lead against Buffalo).

Anyway, for the past 15 years ive lived closer to Dallas than Houston. But ive never once had the inkling to change teams. If they became a 20 win team, I would follow them less because it would be too sad to read all the horror. But I wouldnt change alliances. I would still encourage them (along with being mad at them like I am at the Astros at the moment). But the Rockets would still be my team.

 

Anyone can say they'd still watch as often as usual but we all know watching Rockets games became a low priority last december when we were losing to horrible teams on a regular basis.

 

That was because we were playing guys like Scola and Martin and losing to terrible teams, completely different scenario if we are playing Pat and Thabeet and losing to horrible teams.

 

If it was as fun as the Cat & Franchise days, I would.

If not... if it's like watching a Spurs offense, I don't think that would be good for my health. At all.