Here's the real issue though. You might have that opinion on Nash at this point in re-rostering the post-Yao Rockets. And I might be inclined to agree. But every indication is that the Rockets' management believes they are competetively close right now. Self-deception (incorrectly over-valuing your strengths and/or not recognizing your true weaknesses) could be distasterous. IMHO, the best path is a shot-blocking and rebounding C who can compensate for a lack of defense and start early transition O for a group that is half-court challenged against play-off caliber teams. But I doubt Rockets' management sees it that way. It all starts at the 5 spot...the rest is "fill-in the blanks" depending on how much money you can or are able (new CBA) to spend.
Didn't Morey acknowledge within the last week or so that the number 1 need on this team was a big 5 who could defend, block shots, and board?
And when exactly has Rockets' management ever performed to what they put in the media? Hasn't everything Morey has done been a surprise to you?
No. Most of his moves are surprises as far as WHO he gets, but the types of moves he has made are not surprising. For instance, with Yao's contract, I would expect some sort of trade that brings in a player that is not someone that we figured would be here, and also bring back another player with another year's salary left that he can use as an expiring to trade next season. Either that or he's gonna use Yao's expiring, Brooks, Budinger, Hill, and possibly Scola to totally revamp the team on the fly. I do expect a move to be made by the trade deadline. And I do expect we will acquire a big. And it would not surprise me if at first most of us looked at the trade he made and think it's trash but then down the road, we figure out it was a good trade.
So i guess it wasn't a problem when Deke was waffling on whether or not to come back and play? What about the fact adelman never played deke until yao was hurt and went with scola/landry sponsered layup drill? The no hand checking puts a premium on a defender at the rim. Its very,very hard, almost impossible to keep guys out the paint, but if you have a guy who can come over and make a guy head/pimp fake or kick out or change his shot, it helps big time.
I disagree. Absolutely no one saw Morey spending a first round pick and an undersized point guard named Aaron Brooks. We were so baffled by the move that virtually everyone thought there was another move coming that never came. I don't think anyone saw Morey trading a first round pick for a SF/SG project when we were clearly looking for an established all star caliber player or a defensive big to protect the paint.
Yep. There are violins playing for me all over the world right now. At least acknowledge that you now understand WHY we can't trade the 2011 pick. Agreed. Also agreed. (Although I'm pretty sure that Morey was at least TRYING to get a younger center to develop behind Yao. He just "missed" with Joey Dorsey and obviously didn't have much confidence in DeAndre Jordan, who I also think is not very good.)
And I agree with you. Morey's moves scape the conventional speculation of us fans and even reporters.
You're only partially right. Morey definitely makes some moves that none of the fans see coming, either as to the actual player or the entire reasoning behind the trade. Aaron Brooks is the best example of this. But I would say that THOSE moves are in the minority. Most of his moves do address actual team needs that most (knowledgable fans - including you, crash!) recognize. For instance, the Brooks pick was startling because the Rockets needed a power forward badly. Well, the Rockets picked up a power forward with the #31 pick in Carl Landry, who was ALSO roundly criticized as a terrible pick. Also, the Rockets addressed the power forward position two weeks later by trading for Luis Scola and then again a month later by re-signing Chuck Hayes to a new deal. In February 2009, the Rockets apparently felt that Brooks was ready to take over the starting PG job from Rafer and wanted to get younger in the backcourt. So, they traded for Kyle Lowry. No one saw that trade coming, but it at least addressed a team need. In February 2010, the Rockets' biggest need was a wing scorer. Morey went out and got perhaps the best available wing scorer in the league in Kevin Martin. A widely-known team need was filled. As far as the draft goes, Morey has tended to go with "best player available", which I cannot really criticize.
I'm sitting back and enjoying the ride this year. I just hope Hill and patterson turn into something. I still would like to take a flyer on a guy like thabeet if adelman would play him. I re watched last season after he came back from d-league and looked like the light had come on defensively. Thats pretty much what this team really needs right now.
I don't think Nash is a short term only move. The guy's career arc is rather like Stockton's (with worse D and less dirty) and its not a stretch to think he can be good for another 3 or 4 years. 3 or 4 good years is all you can ask for anyone when you sign them to a contract really. I'll take the bet that Nash will be better 3 years from now than Aaron Brooks will ever be any time in his life.
I did not "see" the Lowry trade coming. But Lowry was a player that I was talking about for over a year before the trade that was a player that I knew fit the efficiency mold for Morey.
I firmly feel that Nash has 3 to 4 years left, especially if he wins a championship or is in the championship hunt, and really especially if he is on a special team with a guy like Yao.
Yeah, I also remember that like Martin, Lowry was supposed to be off the market, that was what surprised me the most in both instances.
WojYahooNBA: RT @SpearsNBAYahoo: Rockets center Yao Ming had ankle surgery in Houston today, sources tell Y! Sports. Timetable for return still unknown.
This has never been more evident now that Deke/Yao/Chuck are not playing. You can see how important rim protection and post defense is. It also makes me reevaluate Scola. With his hustle and scoring I used to believe he was untouchable for anything but an all-star. But he surely gives up almost as many points as he scores. I would not mind trading him for the right piece.
Scola's minutes need to be scaled back. He still hustles and runs hard, but he seems a step slow and he's getting out-muscled too easily. He's tired.
I'm surprised you're as high on Thabeet as you are, leeb. Sure, everybody understands what he brings to the table in theory. I just don't see an NBA caliber rotation player when I watch him play....yet. I've seen him this year and he still seems to have no idea what he's doing out there. I realize with each loss what slim hope we have of making the postseason continues to dwindle. All the same, even on a lotto team focused on player development I still have a hard time seeing him sniff the floor. In terms of trade value, he's on the same level as Hassan Whiteside. Thabeet has done nothing to show he's 31 draft spots better so if a Hou/Mem trade discussion materializes, Chris Wallace needs to not even bother with the "Well, he's a former #2 overall pick therefore he has more trade value" argument as far as I'm concerned.
