I see a lot of people criticizing Morey but when ever someone asks what moves could've been made, there hasn't been any legitimate replies. Think about who was moved and what was offered during Morey's tenure, what real moves could've been made. The one that will be brought up time and again was Rudy Gay + Stromile Swift for Battier. I would just like to point out two things. 1) Rudy Gay didn't fit Yao Ming + Tracy McGrady in his first three years here. In fact, look at this thread from just last year on the Grizzlies board to see how well he plays with others. They actually needed to reduce OJ Mayo's role this year on the Grizzlies for Rudy Gay to be the leader. If Rudy Gay was here, he'd be out of town by his third year on the tails "why doesn't Rudy Gay pass Yao the ball?" threads. http://boards.grizzliesonline.com/index.php?showtopic=4654 2) Rudy Gay just signed an $82 Million/5 year contract. Given we can have KMart for $10 Million a year, do you really miss not having Rudy that much? Keep in mind Landry was a big part of getting Martin, if we had to pay Stromile's salaries, would Les still pay for the second round pick to get Landry? Rudy basically didn't fit with what the team needed in his first few years here, or (imo) just isn't worth holding onto for his post-Rookie contract when we can have Kevin Martin at a cheaper option. Which makes me not mind the Battier trade at all. The second thing was that we don't have legit back-up behind Yao. But who was a legit big man we could've gotten in the past few years? Think about all the legit big men, the one's that would've good enough to actually get playing time under JVG and RA, who was really available? We could've gotten a seven footer that sucked at everything and I don't see JVG or RA playing them just because they're seven foot. The way I see it, there were no moves that ANY GM in the league would've made that can put us in a significantly better. But then again, I don't know everything, so for those that's criticizing Morey, give me some insights on what realistic moves we could've made to get better.
I believe Morey came in after the Rudy Gay Draft. I still remember Carol Dawson laughing obnoxiously when asked about drafting Rudy Gay. Still pissed off about that.
The legitimacy lies in the fact that we cannot prove that Morey wasn't offered something amazing that in hindsight would give us a better future. For example, if Morey had put Yao and T-Mac on the market after the 2007-08 season, would we have gotten something nice draft picks? Probably. If we had blown that team up rather than getting Artest to go for it all, our current team would likely have more top talent. Of course, I don't remember people clamoring to trade Yao and T-Mac for draft picks back then, but technically it would've been the better plan long term. I think after that season, both Yao and T-Mac were essentially worthless in any trade. Morey got as much talent back as humanly possible for T-Mac's contract. And Yao's contract was longer, meaning it literally had no value. Other than that, it's just a matter of the Rockets apparently unwilling to rent Amare for 3 months, or unwilling to get the mythical superstar that apparently was on the market that no one realized.
Morey's stuck with a brigade of role players that he organized to surround an All-NBA center. The team's in a transition phase, and Morey will likely be heavily involved at the deadline in order to spearhead the charge in a new direction. Personally, I liked Carroll Dawson's style: Barkley Pippen Francis Mobley Yao McGrady Mutumbo Hayes
Look, Morey is one of the best GMs in the league. Every team knows that. I mean, so fine...argue about the coach like you are a coach. argue about the GM like 2k11 or whatever the fantasy game **** is called nowadays. Fact is: You are arguing against the league. You are arguing against Clutch's contacts. You are arguing against BimaThug reality. If you think Morey is stupid. You are lost. You are a fantasy computer player. I invented a word for this back in the day of game consoles...you are a "dreamcaster". and you are arguing against me, too. lol
Personally, I'm much more enamored with who Carroll Dawson inherited. Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.
Not to go off track here, but as a side track we must always believe in statistics, if not then at least in improving statistical analysis of the game. Morey is still God.
Morey doesn't come anywhere close to saying "statistics is god." And you actually capitalized "God." Dude, there is no magical statistics formula. If so, 2K11 would not work? Oh, wait! Maybe most players think it could. Hence, no need for Morey. Snap!
I agree, but actually the hand writing was on the wall from the start. TMac had a history of back problems and players with "Giant's Syndrome" have not done well in the NBA. They have predictable foot and leg injuries. The Rockets took a huge risk and lost.
once they realized that injuries were getting the better of their stars, the rockets should've moved each one for a kings ransom. i was calling for a tmac trade 2 years ago when he came back from offseason surgery without rehabbing. the rockets just got artest and were ready to seriously contend and tmac effed it up with his laziness. i would've traded him at the deadline. imagine if you get the money hungry clippers to give you their unprotected first round pick for tmac? they might've done it! remember this is 2009 when he's still considered a superstar, and the clippers want to sell tickets and jerseys. griffin would've been nice, but of course hind sight is 20/20
I was saying that statistical analysis is important to the game. In a seperate sentence I remarked that Morey is still God. You brought in NBA 2K11 and magic. In a separate sentence you remarked that I capitalized "God". I do not think our minds are able to communicate well with each other, and will hereby end all contact with you.
After Phoenix acquired Shaq and realised that it was a bad move we should've pounced on him. Especially when he became a free agent. A couple of us were saying he would be the perfect backup to Yao because they would both only play half a game and keep each other fresh. Maybe Shaq made it clear that he wasn't going to come here, but we never even made an effort.
The whole Rudy Gay for Battier trade thing gets overblown on this forum way too much. At the time of the trade Rudy Gay was just a college prospect similar to a rookie prospect like Paul George and Shane Battier could be compared to a player like Nicholas Batum AT THE TIME. Also remember Battier was one of the primary scorers on a bad Memphis team. Battier, when younger, showed a lot more promise offensively, sort of like Batum, it's just when he hit his high twenties with the Rockets he is just at a different place in his career. Would Morey trade them back right now... My guess is sure he would... At the time though, any team competing for the title would have made that move.
I thought that 2008 after the playoff loss to the Jazz was the best time to trade McGrady. This was before his knee became such a serious problem, but still, I just had this feeling that he didn't have it in him to bring Houston a championship and it was best for the team and him to part ways. Then again, I thought trading McGrady and change in a package for Andre Miller and Iguodala from the Sixers would put us over the top.
At the trade deadline two years ago the Rockets had several trade scenarios worked out with Mcgrady and he searched the US for a doctor that would finally agree to micro fracture surgery and took himself off of the market. As for Yao, no Gm in their right mind would have traded Yao two years ago. He was the top center in the league that was getting shorter and shorter, and showed no signs of injuries until he went down in LA in the playoffs.
You didn't get Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller but you essentially got Kevin Martin and Terrence Williams (taking into account we traded a pick which mirrored that of the 2012 pick they got from the McGrady deal.).
omg how is that the same? only on Clutchfans (where potential reigns supreme) could one compare Terrence Williams to either Iguodala or Miller.
People are just upset that Morey wasn't any more clairvoyant than the rest of us about Yao and Tracy's health. If he had actually traded them for their market value in '07 or '08, he would have been crucified at the time even though it would have been a perfect move in hindsight. And as people have mentioned, McGrady blocked the trade that would have come at the right time, via that dirty microfracture play.
