I agree, especially with the part in bold. As of right now, we've lost 18 months of rebuilding, simply because the organization foolishly clung to the fantasy that Yao would ever make a recovery.
I'm sorry, but why all the Morey hate? He and the organization had a plan the past few years to build around superstar players (T-Mac & Yao). That is what he did, and he did an amazing job piecing together a team and assets that would have done great things around that nucleus if they did not break down. Now yes going on the fundamental belief that "relying on Yao" was the way to use this year was highly optimistic. However, they only way to win a title or be any type of contender was to rely on Yao. Without a semi-productive to productive Yao, there was no chance whatsoever or being a contender or truly convincing another star player to come to Houston. Morey went all in this season on the bet that Yao would survive because he knew that was the only way the Rockets could do anything. It was a risky bet, but it was the ONLY bet that could get a championship to Houston without potentially handcuffing the team in the future. Miller & Hayes were supposed to get spot minutes around Yao's 20 minutes. Pretty much every other big man was either horribly overpaid (by $ or by years) or only signed by true contenders? (I'll be honest that I never truly believed the Dampier rumors, and even those faded once the Rockets started out the season 0-5 and 3-8.) Now the whole getting a superstar thing... I'll admit that I think Morey has may been a little naive to think any of these superstars would want to be traded to Houston without a productive Yao. However, if he was betting that Yao may somehow make it, he knew that Houston had a chance at them. But even then, getting ANY superstar via trade, FA, or draft is extremely difficult. And furthermore getting that 1st superstar on a team is highly dependent on luck. It is a long process that is full of heartbreak and soul searching, and that is true even if you "do everything right". Morey might know that the Rockets have reached that point, but he is waiting to pull triggers? Why? Because he wants to do deals when someone else is being desperate, not the Rockets because it is easier to win those deals. He would rather sit and wait than make a deal out of desperation since MOST trades done by desperation never work out. Maybe, in scouting he realizes there is not cornerstone prospect in the 2011 draft? There are probably dozen other answers. I'm not saying Morey deserves statue or a raise, but to BLAME him for everything and saying that he cannot make it happen is not giving him credit for what he has done and not giving him an opportunity to solve this team's current problems.
Looking at the positive side, after last night we just moved up another spot. With the 11th pick in the 2011 NBA draft, the Houston Rockets select...
I don't hate Morey but I'm not one of the fanboys around here waving red pom-poms over him either. I have consistently posted on the tough situation he faces with a team and organization that has stumbled along for the past decade. I have even wished him good luck. But I have to be honest and point out that this is such a mess that even Morey does not have any idea what to do in order to turn things around. That wasn't Morey's plan - that was Les Alexander's and Carroll Dawson's plan. And just like everything else from the CD era, that plan has gone up in smoke. While the justification behind it may have solid, it was the execution of said plan that led to its demise. If Morey is to be faulted here it will be because he continued to blindly follow the flawed blueprint of Dawson and continue to try to build around Yao & MeMac long after both started breaking down. The wise thing to do would have been to go get a true center (not David Andersen, Brad Miller and certainly NOT Eric Dampier) who could have allowed Morey to change the focus of the team from one of waiting, waiting, waiting for Yao to come back. I disagree here because this is simply the official excuse that the organization and it's synchopants are feeding to the red koolaid drinking masses. Yao was never ready to play this year. He looked shaky from the start and they won zip with him. Once he got hurt it was a progressive line of spin from the organization until bang! he's out for the season...again. Morey needed to do much more in the preseason than pick up Brad Miller and cross his fingers in the hope that the fates would be kind to the Rockets. And there were centers to be had this season especially when teams like the Mavericks were able to get a Tyson Chandler who helped turn their team around. I look at teams like San Antonio who have consistently managed to find good players from overseas to retool their roster who can step in an play and I just have to shake my head in wonder. The Rockets go get guys who are draft busts, sitting at the end of the bench or who were head cases in the D-League and who need 2 or more years before they will be able to contribute. Big difference and the respective records of both teams bear this out. Yes, the Spurs still have Duncan but anyone who has watched them this year will see how they have altered their basketball philosophy to the point that they are winning while Duncan is no longer the focal point of their team. THAT is what Morey should have done with Yao years ago but he chose to follow CD's plan which ended up like the rest of CD's plans: nowhere. Very well put and this is why I have come to accept that it will be a long tough slog out this situation for the Rockets. At best, I can't see them really contending before 2014 or 2015 and that is if they are truly "lucky". At this time, this may be his only play this season. The problem is that the other teams know that Morey is desperate also so they won't be so willing to play the sucker role everyone here is banking on happening. And I refuse to believe that Les will indeed cut ties with Yao because of the huge economic (read marketing) benefit he represents even while not playing. So I expect Yao to be back at a reduced salary of course to give it one more go and Les to continue to mine the Chinese market with Yao merchandise. After all, this is a business you know. Before Morey came on board, the Rockets' were completely inept at finding talent. Morey changed that. He was able to find guys who could play in the draft which is something they hadn't done for years. However, he also showed that he could channel CD and make equally bad moves like trading away young players with potential like Landry and Green for so-so results. So where does all this leave them? Somewhere in limbo. They have some intriguing players to start over with but Morey and Les simply don't appear to have the will to actually commit to a true team rebuild because the losses will drive fans away. They also don't appear to have any idea what sort of team they want to field and it goes without saying that they don't have a clue as to whether said team has a true shot at contending. And Adelman now looks like a dead coach walking who is about to join Rudy T & JVG in the ex-Rockets' head coaching trash bin, so it's unknown as to what direction a new head coach will take this team. And it goes without saying that the Rockets have to improve all the while their competition in the West is also working hard to improve as well. So in the end, for myself, nothing much has really changed since the CD days. As David Byrne put it: it's the same as it ever was...
Hillboy, you summed up pretty much what I've said for awhile now. Pick a lane and stay in it. There is no such thing as rebuilding and contending at the same time. Its one or the other in the nba. Its been like that forever. Even a team like sa had a great base with Duncan,manu,and parker, they added jefferson,mcdyyess, along with the young guys. Just like gumbo, if the roux aint no good, the gumbo will suck no matter how many shrimp,crabs,or sausage you have in there. The roux for the rockets was bad from the start and now all they have is a bunch of shrimp and crab.
You just gave an example of a team that is rebuilding and contending in the SA Spurs. One reason they always stay relevant is they never stop rebuilding, and continually add young guys to their lineup. If Tim Duncan suffered a career-ending injury right now SA would still have a decent team with Tiago Splitter, Tony Parker, George Hill and their starting center (forgot his name). Having a bunch of shrimp and crab is a lot better than starting with just a grocery list, which is what would have happened under your "Either contend or rebuild" philosophy. Its been less than two years since the 1-11 experiment failed, and we still have Yao's contract on the books, so if we had gone all-in and forgot to kickstart the rebuilding process we'd been royally screwed right now. DM made the right move by hedging his bets. Of course with hindsight backing you up its easy to say we should have stopped the Yao ming experiment the moment Yao's foot broke down, however his contract was still on the books and you can't trade an injured player. More importantly you can't replace a 20-10 guy with great D that easily, what would have happened if we traded him for peanuts and he started playing healthy like Grant Hill? You would have been all over Morey's ass either way. DM's made the right call so far during major matters regarding this franchise, which is why I still believe in him despite minor screw ups here and there.
You mean SA keeps retooling don't you? Why would they need to rebuild when they still have Duncan, Ginobli, and Parker. I didn't see them scrap their entire lineup and start over. And it isn't hindsight backing leebigez's argument, it's history. If you took a look at Yao's injury history you would have at the very least a small thought in the back of your mind that he was going down again. "Those that don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-magic/os-magic-schmitz-0124-20110123,0,6122370.column Olajuwon praises Howard
There are some great points raised in this thread. My question is if Morey made the call to re-tool and sell the farm including Yao, what potential deals were there that would have made the Rockets championship contenders?
Lol, Orlando look like champions then when to lose at Home vs Detroit. Btw. T-Mac still owning his former team. Is funny how we wanted to trade T-Mac for RIP and Prince or Chauncey, and now this old T-Mac have replace RIP in the starting lineup earning him some "DNP - Coach's Decision" the last 7 games.
Clyde and Bill had a laugh at the Rockets expense during the entire game. Yes we're small and yes we only have 1 post scoring threat. Laugh away guys :grin:
