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Morey wanted Gogi, not Lin

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by allaroundplayer, Oct 20, 2012.

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  1. allaroundplayer

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    See article below. The Felton thread doesn't have the whole article.

    ----------------------------------------------------

    Are Knicks better without Lin?
    Updated: October 19, 2012, 6:24 PM ET
    By Chris Broussard | ESPN the Magazine




    Raymond Felton is back in the Big Apple and loving it. And with the last vestiges of "Linsanity" having dissipated, the New York Knicks' starting point guard said the team is in a better position -- point guard-wise -- than it was a year ago.



    Felton said things will be much different this season for Lin. If you recall, Houston offered the overnight sensation $25 million over three years, so the Knicks passed. While Lin's 26-game run last season was spectacular, it will be a huge challenge for him to repeat that performance for the Rockets.



    Felton was very complimentary of Jeremy Lin, saying Lin's run last season was "one of the best I've seen in a while.'' But he said Lin had better be ready this season, because he has a target on him.



    "I'm happy for him; he's down in Houston starting in a new situation where the team is basically his,'' Felton said. "I hope he has a good season. But it's going to be tough. It's not as easy as people think it is, playing the point, knowing that people are coming at your head every night.



    "It's going to be difficult," Felton added. "It's not going to be like it was last year when he made that run. It's going to be tough, because everybody's coming for you because you have that name. That's the difference this year -- every night as the main guy, every point guard in the league is going to be coming at you. So he's got to be prepared for that.''



    Granted, it's only preseason, but so far Lin has not looked prepared.



    In his first three preseason games with the Rockets, he averaged just 5.3 points on woeful 21.1 percent shooting. In 22.7 minutes a game, he handed out 4.7 assists a game over that stretch. Plus, in the preseason opener, Russell Westbrook burned Lin for 19 points in 16 first-half minutes.



    Lin did show improvement in his fourth preseason game, dishing out a game-high 12 assists in 31 minutes during the Rockets' victory over Memphis. He still struggled with his shooting, however, going just 3-for-9 in scoring seven points.



    As his struggles this preseason might indicate, Houston could end up regretting the contract it gave him. League sources have told me the Rockets' basketball people were never as high on Lin as ownership. I'm told that Rockets owner Leslie Alexander really pushed for the Lin signing, much more than the basketball side of the organization.


    Lin is a solid player, but I don't believe he's a future star and certainly not one deserving of all the hoopla he has generated. I hope it works out for Lin, but because he's limited -- and because of the super target on his back that Felton referred to -- I think he could be a disappointment.



    Felton said that some of the league's point guards (and other players as well) were bothered by all the attention Lin got for his brief run.



    "I think it put a bull's-eye on him before the end of the season last year,'' Felton said. "I think a couple guys got kind of upset. I saw the game where Deron Williams had a pretty good game against him (Williams scored 38 points). That's for anybody, not just Jeremy. It's anybody. Anybody who has a good season and gets a lot of hype is going to have everybody coming at them. Having that name and getting the money he got this year, you have to know guys are coming at you every game. Everybody comes at LeBron James every night. But you know, LeBron James is LeBron James. He takes care of business. So we have to see if Jeremy is able to do the same.''

    -------------------------------------------------



    This is what I suspected all along. I believe Les Alexander said to Morey: your number one priority in the offseason is to acquire Jeremy Lin. If Morey didn't do that or try as hard as possible, then he wouldn't have a job now.

    The explanation of not wanting to give Dragic a fourth year player option was public relations. Same thing with the reason given for trading Lowry. Morey wasn't going to sign Dragic because that would mean zero chance of Lin signing an offer sheet.

    Lin is not the athlete or as talented as Dragic, but he has a lot of intangibles, and I think he is a great player and will have a great year, though I think Dragic will be an all-star this year.

    The other positive of having Lin is that it means other players (such as the rookies) will be depended upon more.

    I also think if the Rockets signed Dragic, Martin would be gone, they would have decided to keep Lee, possibly Scola, and maybe they wouldn't have drafted Lamb.

    A couple of disagreements I have with this article by Broussard: He says, Lin is "certainly not deserving of all the hoopla he has generated." Yes he definitely is. The story of Lin was not like anything in nba history. Secondly, he points out Lin had 12 assists against Memphis, but omits that he had 4 steals.
     
  2. LCII

    LCII Contributing Member

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    I didn't know NBA players were women.
     
  3. Raven

    Raven Member

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    Suck up media sucking up.
     
  4. Karolik

    Karolik Member

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  5. redhotrox

    redhotrox Contributing Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    2 people like this.
  6. tminusrex

    tminusrex Rookie

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    It's just the black supremacists who are pissed off.
     
  7. sidestep

    sidestep Member

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    Should have just posted this to the Felton thread. Ppl are sure fond of making a dozen threads on the same thing around here.
     
  8. NL Rocket

    NL Rocket Member

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    Something we all knew but nice to see it sort of confirmed. Both Lowry & Gogi are still better but with our future plans, our need of a cash cow and a humble leader we went for it.
     
  9. OlajuwonFan81

    OlajuwonFan81 Member

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    This.

    Lock it up.
     
  10. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    Does the article mention Dragic? Seems this part comes from yoir imagination.

    Also, if les wanted Lin more tham Dragic, why didn't they talk to Lin at the first possible moment (midnight, July 1st) instead of days later, after the Dragic negotiation was looking unlikely, and only finalized the offer during summer league? Instead, Morey and McHale spoke with Asik and Dragic on Juky 1st, not Lin.

    As for what Broussard wrote: it has been reported that the Rockets initially offered 3 yrs, 20 mil, and later increased it to 25 mil after the Knicks said they would match the 20 mil (and up to 1 billion dollars). Morey said publicly that Les raised the idea of offering the extra $5 M. Perhaps the basketball ops people were leery of offering the extra money, but neither the article nor other info mention Morey preferring Dragic for the same contract term.

    As for the player option being a cover: whether you like it or not, Morey has a history of hating player options. Never gave one to any player. In fact, only guy on the roster that had it was Yao Ming.
     
    #10 Carl Herrera, Oct 20, 2012
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2012
    2 people like this.
  11. DonatasFanboy

    DonatasFanboy Member

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    Lin vs. Dragic > Lin vs. Knicks thread
     
  12. apollo33

    apollo33 Member

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    ^this

    OP has tricked me with his gay title once again
     
  13. kianainhi

    kianainhi Member

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    Jeeez! Here we go again. Another negative article slamming Lin. Is ESPN owned by CAA? Didn't Broussard do one of the articles in SI (6 Degrees of Separation) which was a good article on Lin?

    I wish Lin proves all these haters wrong. He's done it before, he can do it again and again.
     
  14. kmav23

    kmav23 Rookie

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    how can other players be jelous of Lins fame and money

    they are all paid millions to play sport... all of them are overpaid... compared to police and teachers...

    this is a business Lin rates and is more popular...
     
  15. dantian

    dantian Member

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    Dragic has been longer in the NBA, but that doesn't imply he be more talented than Lin. Lin is more athletic than Nash and so far on a better trajectory of career performance.
     
    1 person likes this.
  16. pahiyas

    pahiyas Member

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    It's OK. Give me more time to look around here and prevents me from going to the Hangout. :grin:
     
  17. DonatasFanboy

    DonatasFanboy Member

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    it's not really that negative or slamming Lin. People need to stop being over-sensitive.
    Lin IS going to be focused, just the way Kyrie Irving and Ricky Rubio will be.
    In fact, I'd say Rubio received a lot of it right off the gate last year, no opposing point guard will want to be on the wrong end of a "Lin/Rubio/Kyrie does it again!" story. It's just common sense.
    And Lin's marketability was always a big bonus for anyone who signs him, so obviously, ownership/business people will go an extra mile. It's just common sense, and it's not negative.
     
  18. typhooonn

    typhooonn Member

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    who is Gogi ?
     
  19. CatW2Dogs

    CatW2Dogs Member

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    Goran Dragic nickname
     
  20. CatW2Dogs

    CatW2Dogs Member

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    Sorry, you were being sarcastic weren't you? :grin:
     
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