The Rockets' Approach This Offseason Might Not Involve Using Cap Space

Look man Morey knows that getting into the playoffs isn't the main objective. The main objective is to win a championship so he has to not only focus on this season but future years. Yes he wants to make the playoffs but in the meantime he roles the dice on certain players such as the 09ers just in case one of them pan out. I have no problem with Moreys approach i think he is balanced between attempting to win now and still building for the future.

 

LOLz. So because I haven't been posting on here for very long I automatically don't know anything?

And don't confuse excuses with explanations, many people do.

 

I love this type of argument. With the power of hindsight you can tell us how Morey failed us...

 

Morey will be judged in hindsight as all GM's and coaches are.

If they are not successful his moves will be picked apart piece by piece, as they should be.

DD

 

Every topic I picked was a contentious issue at the time, not simply hindsight. Notice that I didn't bring up the Flynn vs. Lin argument because I agree with Morey: anyone who claims they foresaw Lin becoming a sensation was full of it.

You think people weren't upset that Adelman was fired? Nobody was fed up with Chuck starting at center? Adelman himself hated the Battier trade. The last homerun move Morey made was the Ariza/Lee trade. Every move since then has been wait and see. That's the truth.

EDIT: And by the way, we saw the Gerald Wallace trade coming before it was completed. Might want to check out the reaction here when the trade talk was heating up between Portland and Charlotte. Yeah, hindsight.
http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=201215

 

I dont disagree with you that some of the decisions made were questionable at the time, and still to this day deserve to be judged fairly.

That being said, with all the arguments you just made, the point is... What did it really matter long-term?

IMO, not very much- Here is a few instances which you bring up.

Chuck vs. Dalembert??... would it really have made a huge difference? Every whiny complainer on here thought putting a shot blocking center in the middle of this team would make a world of difference. In all actuality, the Rockets actually did become better on defense. However, they actually became worse offensively due to the fact that they weren't able to run alot of the corner sets without the high post passing of Hayes/Miller. Pretty much a wash there.

Actually, I would say that given their contracts, Dalembert actually puts the team in a better position because of his buyout situation this summer. He is now one of the Rockets best trade assets. If the Rockets had to choose between the two players last summer, I think for that reason alone, it was the right move to make.

Adelman Vs. McHale- I get it. Alot of people just dont like the guy. He was a Celtic that played dirty against the Rockets in the finals when many of the people on their board weren't even concieved. He comes off as a smug A-hole alot of times.

But what difference did it make to the Rockets in their long term championship aspirations??? None. They actually finished with a better win/loss percentage under McHale. If you just dont like McHale, thats fine, but Morey's decision to move on from the Adelman years was not such a small insignificant move in the longrun.

Every relationship runs its course. That relationship was over. It was time for some change in the air. Guess what, McHale wont be a Rocket forever unless they become a contender real quick.

The 09ers'- Other than the Terrence Williams draft pick, what the hell did the Rockets give up to get these guys? A bag of rocks. A 3 week Battier rental? Hell they even got a first round pick that they used to get Donatas Motiejunas from that trade. Im not really sure why people STILL complain about that one.

However, end the end, unless the late 1st round pick given for T-Will turns into the next Marc Gasol or Rajon Rondo, the 09er trades had absolutely no long term impact on the Rockets goals.

If anything it helped by giving them easily tradeable players on rookie scale contracts that all had the "potential" to give the Rockets what they needed anyways which was a quality young piece to build around. It didnt work out, but I have no idea why Morey gets flamed for giving it a shot.

Asik trade- There was speculation out there that the Rockets were looking to trade for Asik last trade deadline. It never happened, but it was never commented on what exactly the Bulls wanted from the Rockets. Everyone "assumed" it was either Lee or Martin, but in reality we have no idea. They might have wanted multiple draft picks for all we know. Just as Morey should never get credit for a trade that it was "speculated" so goes the opposite.

Nobody knows what Chicago wanted for Asik. In all reality, lets say the Rockets gave up Lee/Martin or whoever to get Omer... is this the guy you really think is going to put them over the top? I like the guy, but he's an energy big off the bench who provides some nice defense and rebounding. Its not like the Rockets missed out on the opportunity to aquire Dwight Howard or something.


-Look, I agree there have been some questionable moves, but my opinion just so happens to be that even the questionable moves have had very little impact on the Rockets long term goals.

 

First of all, yes hindsight. Morey made the decisions based on the info he had at the time. Of course people were upset when Adelman was fired and fed up at Hayes at C but your point? Do you think we can adequately judge these moves one year removed?

Last homerun move was vetoed by the commish after it was a done deal. But what about getting Dragic+ pick for Brooks? What about keeping cap flexability? Why are you fixed on homerun moves?

 

It's Les Alexander who wants to tank--not Morey. It's a crap strategy and it's only going to get crappier until Les wakes up.

 

The GM's job is to impact the short and long term goals, if you are saying he has not done that, well.......

DD

 

Up until now, it hasn't worked.

But IF Morey is able to pull off a Howard trade and sign DWill outright, all you guys saying it won't work will have to change your view 180 degrees in a matter of moments. That's the way we are living. So tempting to desire to throw in the towel, trade evrybody out and pull a Charlotte. Yet, we are much closer to the top than the bottom. Just treading water, getting better itsy bit by itsy bit until the big enchilada is captured.

Les has been a very good owner. I am not a tanking guy. But I could see the value in tanking one season........this last one...when it was obvious in January that we weren't going anywhere.

 

This is like taking taking the safe bet over the high risk high upside player.

Moving in circles times and times again.
That is what Morey is about lately... and proclaiming we are all winners..... despite being roughly over 0.50 and nowhere to go

 

Well said. There are times to tank/rebuild and there are times to retool/trend water.

 

Getting Howard and Dwill is a long shot.... and we will be lucky.... but that does not cover Morey's mistakes.... because both Howard and Dwill are exactly the same divas and Howard might be more of a douche than McGrady... and we will have to deal with their issues.
Getting a star from the draft is the way to ensure that he stays longer.
AND James stayed half his career with the Cavs no matter what others say.

 

Oddly enough, Morey's failure so far has all been his "high upside" moves.

TWill - failed
Marcus Morris - failed so far
NY draft pick - did not get a lottery pick
Ariza - failed and turned into a safe investment
KMart - somewhat failed due to injuries

Also, part of his failure is that many of his "high upside" moves have succeeded.

Lowry - huge success
Dragic - huge success
Scola - huge success
Hayes - huge success by extending him to a very low deal
Landry - huge success

Ironically, if Morey had only taken safe players like Courtney Lee, the Rockets would suck right now.

 

I don't understand. First you accuse me of criticizing Morey's moves in hindsight, then you say we need more than one year to adequately judge his moves. Do we need more hindsight or less?

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=203666
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http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=201215
http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=211357
http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=201317

All these threads are breaking news, so we're not just reacting negatively now. I don't expect every Morey move to be a winner, but I'd like to see a direction. You want to make the playoffs? Go the Indiana or Philly route. Don't give Adelman a hamstrung roster with no centers and no backup SF and fire him for not making the playoffs. Want to rebuild? Break up the team like Portland, New Orleans, or Dallas. Right now the Houston route is being a dreadlock. Mostly useless, just dangling there in a crowd.

This is a make or break season for Morey. Every other year we've had the option of standing pat. This year there's a chance we can become significantly worse. Our assets are limited, our free agents are up in the air. Deron and Dwight are the last superstars in play. I hope he's up to the challenge.

 

I admit but those examples are not precise

TWill - good prospect.......did not entirely fail, is not a player for the system
Morris- remains to be seen
Kmart- complimentary player to Yao, not noteworthy
Ariza - average player for the MLE, had his moments with the Lakers

Lowry- relative success
Dragic - has to be watched over 82 games or 2 seasons - success
Scola - success
Hayes - success
Landry - small success- he can't rebound well

Dragic has been doing well with the Suns before so one might assume he would get better.

Morey has done well with some players but obviously other teams don't value our assets as Top assets. And the assets alone won't get us anywhere.
It's not like any of those players is like Tony Parker type of guy who could make us significantly better.

I didn't say he failed entirely but what he had in mind, his master plan has not come to fruition.
Actually we have not been able to actually be a legitimate 6th seed like Denver.
Denver is the team we could have been compared to before the season

 

I'm not a tanking guy either, but Clutch wrote this article before the season began and it made so much damn sense.

http://rockets.clutchfans.net/1901/for-rockets-winning-2012-would-be-nice-losing-might-be-better/

I think we all knew we were going to be a .500 team again, barring a major trade. The worst case scenario.

 

So if we get a star from the draft we are guaranteed not to get a douche but if we trade for a superstar we are guaranteed to get a douche?

That's what you're saying here.

 

Thanks Bima, appreciate the response. I figured Martin's value is down due to his down season.

I agree with Scola on a a trade for superstar.

I hope we are able to keep at least 2 of those 3 FAs, personally I prefer Lee and Camby, Dragic might want a starting gig, but hopefully we are able to bring them all back.

But like said I love your work, and enjoy your articles on the main page.

 

Jopatmc, you are very good poster and I respect you. That being said, please (and I am serious) explain the above statement. His tenure has been very unproductive; why is he a "very good owner?"