Why does everyone pin Yao on Morey? Yao is way more of a Les guy than a Morey guy. You think Morey, a guy who loves numbers and statistics, would love a guy who suffers serious injuries almost every year while still getting paid $17 million? Chances are better that the only reason Morey didn't help Yao back his bags in eagerness years ago is because Les refused to let him go. Yao WAS the best chance we had to easily become contenders half a decade ago. Now our best chance is to either rebuild or, if we are very lucky through trading, reload.
I'm not "pinning Yao on Morey." Did you actually read my post? I'm saying that he should have been preparing for the possibility of Yao continuing to have physical problems by grooming a young backup/potential future replacement. He did not. It's not Rockets science.
Here is one of the reasons the spurs and for the most part the Lakers have been able to stay in the hunt for long. Had the spurs given up parker or la bynum or even the crazy rumors about boston giving up rondo, they wouldnt be in the position they are now. I wont dismiss the fact they had actual superstars sho stayed healthy. I said 3 years ago the rockets shouldve been looking to replace yao, not compliment him. Its easier said than done and of course leebigez is a Yao hater. To be fair, I wanted both Yao and tracy gone when they lost to the inexperienced Utah with home court adv. I knew then they would never take the rockets anywhere. They were 2 guys with million dollar talent, 50 cent leadership, and 25 cent bodies. Management continued to bury their frugal hope into these 2 betas. After the mcgrady departure and again managment believed the giant could come back and do something. Even before Yao was drafted, most everyone knew it was going to be an 8 yr career. Deke was waffling about coming back every year for the last 4, but the rockets never had time to develop a center. Personally, with the constant injuries to Yao, the age of deke, I thought it was the perfect time to attempt to develop a young bigs. One of yao's greatest qualities among being a great person is his work ethic. The same could also be said for Deke. That was asking too much from the rockets, so they went with a 25 so to be 26 yr old 6'7 project center who was nba ready. In other words with Jordan,Asik,Kaun all there in the 2nd rd and even 8 spots ahead in the 1st where Mcgee and Hibbert were, the rockets chose not to go that route. Now,the same players they could have drafted and developed are now on their short list as a guy with size who can defend the rim. Player development has been missing in this long term goal by the rockets and players with upside havent been considered until lately. Even during the so called contention status of the rockets, they were couldve have developed a young big. The countless posters saying guys having a low bbiq when really those guys are just inexperienced. Most of the same posters probably couldnt execute the simplest of basketball sets,reads, and cuts in an empty gym,but they can call a player dumb. Yet they thought the same pattern of season ending injuries were now all of a sudden going to stop with a 24 minute per night and no back to back game schedule. I guess it was just easier to go with hope than reality.
The Pistons were an exception to every basketball rule in the book that year. Can't win without a superstar? They did. Can't win without a big frontline? They did. Can't beat Payton, Malone, Kobe, and Shaq? They did. When you analyze it, theirs is one of the more astounding championships in NBA history.
Yes, Leeb was right about grooming a young 5 and I remember him calling for it long ago. Don't agree about some of his other stuff, which he knows, lol, but he certainly nailed it here.
If the Rockets would have ascribed to a backup plan for Yao, they could have made a haul in the 2008 draft. That's when the "Team That's Alway Trying to Move Up" could have moved up one spot for Serge Ibaka. Or could've kept Batun and then drafted either Asik or Deandre Jordan (both drafted behind Joey Dorsey). But that's how it goes when you "bank" on player health. And the low-risk/high reward of Artest...Win Now Pt II. And yes...hindsight IS 20-20. But when you play $Ball by BPA over need, you're taking this risk of NOT developing a big man.