Morey seems to be really good at diversionary tactics, saying one thing and doing another. All the Tmac talk last year, and Kevin Martin was not really in the mix of the discussions, yet that was his target all along. It is for that reason, that I don't believe he is targeting Bosh at all, I think he is using Bosh as a way to drive Luis' bargaining position down. I do think if something presents itself where we could get a star player, he would jump at it, but I don't believe he will give up many players to make it happen. There are some quality pieces on the Rockets, and they all play hard. Any move you make as a GM has got to consider chemistry, how will player X fit in, how will the rest of the team respond to them on the team. Luis and Kyle are both hard working players who share great chemistry with the rest of the team..... I believe Morey is not actually looking to make a big move, but rather sign them both to lower than market deals..... To me, I expect the Scola thing to drag out and some woffing going on from the front office about Nowitski or Bosh or Amare etc......but to actually be wanting to keep Luis and Hill together. Same with Lowry, they may say....we will keep him but we already have Aaron.....keep in nonchalant in order to sign him cheaply. I don't think the Rockets have any intention of trading any real pieces....but will look to tinker etc...unless something falls in their laps. They do have some redundant pieces in: Hayes and Jeffries Battier and Trevor Maybe a couple of them get traded, but I honestly expect not much to happen other than a smoke screen to get key pieces to resign. DD
What are you talking about? Kevin Martin has been rumored to Houston for a long time. As was Artest before him. Morey later confirmed that they wanted Rudy, which was rumored before the draft. Scola was a sudden pickup because he was supposed to have gone to Cleveland in a trade that fell apart. Lowry was a sudden decision because Orlando needed a PG when Nelson went down. Besides, none of that applies to Lowry and Scola anyway? It has always been for any team to just sit on their asses, in regards to RFA because no team likes to bid against themselves. The Rockets can't "trick" Scola and Lowry into resigning for less. Both can only explore the open market and either find a team with an offer, or take our Qualifier for next year. Or take a long term contract Morey puts in front of them. Whether we go for Bosh makes no difference in the negotiations.
I think all this talk about Morey being cryptic is a little over done. Didn't he say last year that he was going to go after Gortat and then he did? was that a smoke screen for David Andersen?
True, he did go after Gortat in the open, I will give you that, but he also let Landry dangle until the very last moment. I am convinced the Rockets got Charlotte to give him that deal just so they could match it. DD
I am starting to think the smartest move would be to not make trades that would gut our team. If Bosh came via picks plus fillers, that would be nice. But when you add C-Bud, Hill, Brooks, Lowry into the mix of potential players being part of any big trade, I get flashbacks from the Barkley trade in the 90's. Essentially, you are mortgaging the future for one superstar player. History is not on our side if Barkley and McGrady are any indications. In 2-3 years, the Lakers, the Suns, the Spurs, Denver will start their decline, and young teams such as the Rockets could be primed to become elite IF one or two bigs come our way.
Interesting, good post. In his podcasts/interviews, Morey always talks about the Rockets need for a star player. He knows that that is what wins in this league, and he knows we need one. I know everyone wants to build around Yao and Battier and Luis for a ring, but I think we might be better served building around Aaron Brooks, Kyle Lowry, Jordan Hill, Chase Budinger, Trevor Ariza. Youth. I think he is after Demarcus Cousins as the set piece for our team, allowing us to win now and six years down the line... If we set it up right, Shane, Luis and even Yao can stick around much like the Celtics have used some of those old Vets (Allen, Pierce, Sheed, KG) around the youth (Rondo, Glen Davis and Perk...) I am tired of the "go all in" and hit the reset button a few years later, button. I could not be more excited If Morey saw a star in a top pick and made a move...
I totally agree, and even with Ron Artest, it was peanuts for a one year shot, can't blame him for that. What we have not seen though is Morey blowing up the chemistry and taking a big swing. And, I honestly hope he doesn't do that....I want to see how a team led by: AB Yao Luis Cbud Martin Hill Kyle competes.... We only had Kmart for about 20 games, imagine how much better they will be NEXT year with an entire training camp..... STAND PAT...... DD
Precedent does provide proof to your point about Bosh being a smoke screen (ie trade for Lowry, trade for Artest, trade for Kevin Martin, etc). However, at the same time, I seriously doubt that Morey is satisfied with just re-signing Scola and Lowry and maybe acquiring a backup center via draft, trade, or free agency. As we all know, Morey is far from myopic and he prizes flexibility and the accumulation of assets. Therefore, I am certain that Morey is seeking to improve this team both in the short run and the long run. He also realizes that Yao's health is incredibly uncertain and the championship window with Yao as an integral piece to the puzzle is closing quickly. Assuming Yao stays with the Rockets, the general consensus is even with a healthy Yao, this team still doesn't have enough to dethrone the Lakers. If Morey shares the same consensus, he will try to improve this team one way or another, be it Bosh or some other marquee player. With Yao's health up in the air, if management's plan is to win a championship with Yao on the team, then every season is a win-now season. Therefore, I will be surprised that by the end of next season, the Rockets squad (with the addition of Yao and a rookie) will be similar to last years.
Now, when I look at that, I see great potential. I also see the need to add a young, dominant interior scorer. I would take a long look at Cousins/Favors and Al Jefferson. The HUGE thing with our team's future is what happens with the Knicks. If they miss out in this free agency, WE ARE IN BUSINESS!!! Spoiler Don't forget Llull!
Absolutely right, this is Morey's modus operandi. An inside source tells me Morey also pretends to go after Adriana Lima in order to get his wife to lower her demands as to Morey's performance of certain husband duties.
If we can get Cousins for Taylor, or Ariza, or Jeffries etc.....plus the Knicks picks then sure..... But don't trade any rotational players for him unless you have a better option already on the roster. DD
I don't think this is a smoke screen at all. The Rockets as built, when healthy, are just simply not good enough to win it all which is what the organization wants. Morey understands the need for superstar level players to win. Teams on the way up trade multiple players for one player (what I suspect the Rockets will do). Teams on the way down trade one player for multiple. I'm sure this is Morey's thinking and sees that the Rockets still need the #1 banana on a championship team, which we currently do not have.
Bosh is a smokescreen... for LeBron! Get 'er done, Morey! Jokes aside, the Rockets were known to want Kevin Martin early in the season, everyone just seem to have forgotten about it. The true deception was convincing everyone the Rockets wanted Andre Iguodala. Everyone was intensely focused on Philly and New York and just forgot about Kevin Martin, but desire for him was documented earlier in the season. Is that what's happening here? I don't think so. If Morey wanted to deflect attention from Luis Scola to try and drive his price down, I don't think he'd be on record saying that Les Alexander wants Scola back. That immediately tells rival GM's that the Rockets are likely to match almost any price, driving Scola's price up.
i understand the thought process that led you there DD. but having a team full of average to above average players gets the rockets nowhere. they need a centerpiece other than yao. if morey is not looking for one, he's not acting in the best interest of the team. as far as chemistry and playing hard, the lakers won the championship last year and they are a team full of primadonnas and cruise control. it takes talent, health, and a balanced roster to win. chemistry is nice, but many championship teams dont have it. i dont see any great chemistry on the lakers. i didn't see any great chemistry on the 90s bulls either. chemistry only matters when you have less talent than the other team.
Says you. If Yao is healthy, Brooks is better, Hill is better, Scola remains the same, Kmart is more integrated. I don't think that is a 50 win team, it is a 60 win team. DD
It's not a championship caliber team, regardless of regular season win totals (and 60 wins is overly optimistic considering all that would need to fall into place to make it happen) and that is all that matters.
Yeah...that team would win about 50 games and put up a good fight in the first round, but would not be a serious threat to go deep in the playoffs. I agree that Morey is probably targeting someone else then Bosh though. He is good, but I don't believe what he says in public for one sec.
