I may be reading between the lines too much, but it really sounds like Daryl doesn't expect Yao to be wearing Rocket red next year.
I'd take a flyer on a Skilled up tall Euro youngin' over most players coming out of college in this weak draft.
He felt the Blinebury criticism was **** ha. (Perhaps common knowledge) Said Battier/Brooks both traded because neither were going to be here next year. Shane would get more money than they could pay, and Brooks get paid more than they felt on a championship team. Asked about the Rubio trade-Rick asking are you trying to get me fired and said iirc it's the normal coach-GM disagreement. Asked about the need for change and why now? "We're not happy with where we're at. Normally when a coaching change, people look at it and say coach did a bad job, he's fired, or coach did good job, he stays. We dont look at it that way. We look at what is the right fit going forward. We'll continue to improve this roster. We're not there right now. That means continue changed. We need coaching staff for that." Fran also mentioned turnover of the roster: 30 players in last 2 season. Numbers without context. Guy with an agenda. We're looking for improvement. Guess how much the Celtics roster had turnover the last two seasons? 30. Fran is pulling a number out. They didnt draft Batum. Want to criticize them, do so for drafting Donte Greene. Fran brought up: quick turnover to making a deal. Mentioned Ariza deal. We signed Ariza and ended up with Lee. How is that bad? He is a solid contributor. Dont understand how its a bad deal. Someone call in and explain that as a bad move. One thing Fran brought up: criticizing you about not landing star. Two things: 1. I never said we have a lot of assets, I've never used those words. 2. That is our goal. Fair crticism until we pull it off. Thats all for now.
Morey press conference from yesterday: http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/rockets_gm_daryl_morey_discuss_2011_04_19.html
Yao's health being what it is, no team can sign him for more than a pure "flyer" kind of money. Look at Shaq.
Agreed. The prospect of a Euro seems more promising for now than trying to get lucky on a middle pick in a mediocre draft. Add the fact that there will be no summer league for evaluation and development, possibly an abbreviated season, and this is a particularly crappy year to hold two first rounders. That said, the Rox don't have that much history in developing players overseas and actually bringing them here — Badiane, Newley, Turkcan, Eliyahu . . . I suppose Llull could break that trend. Maybe if Budenholzer gets the job here he can bring some Spurs Euro-mojo along with him.
It increasingly appears that Daryl Morey was not getting the level of respect he wanted to receive from Rick Adelman, so Rick Adelman was shown the door. Of course Rick Adelman was a great NBA coach and almost everyone knows it. On the other hand, Daryl Morey is up and coming, and could be a star in his own right. But it is still too early to say - the jury is still out on Daryl Morey. As Rockets fans grieve the departure of Rick Adelman and begin to wonder who in the world the Rockets can possibly bring in here who will be as good a coach as Rick Adelman, they are putting pressure on Morey, both for the firing, and in anticipation of the hiring of a new coach. It appears that Daryl Morey is feeling that heat and it is making him openly uncomfortable. It is my sense that this is what we are seeing in these interviews.
Good for Morey to have a chip on his shoulder. F the media, they've never been in that job so they have no idea what it takes. Easier to complain when none of the responsibility drops on you. Morey's tried to make lemonade with all the lemons he was given and he's done a decent job so far. I've never liked Flanblandberry's writing even when he was with the Chron. That dude writes with an agenda and a stick up his bum.
I don't have time to go back and sift through everything, but I'm pretty sure he did use the term assets to describe our players ... several times. Don't get me wrong, I like DM and the deals he's made, but am I wrong about him using that term?
Soon as it happened, that's been my mindset. "Daryl, you better agree with me or...well...*Les Laugh*"
