What will Daryl Morey's Lottery Draft Strategy be?

Jo Boo!

 

I think Morey will try his best to make a big move come draft day. I think the logic of trading for CB4 is highly unlikely. Toronto is going to want a lot for him and we have to make sure that the money matches up for a trade. The other thing is does Bosh want to play here? He's stated several times he wants to be the main guy. How will he feel playing along side Yao and Martin?

I think Morey will target Minny. Kahn wants to trade Al Jefferson and I think Al would be a perfect fit for Houston. He's a 25 year-old stud that averaged 22PPG and 11RPG over the past two years before getting hurt late last year. He started off really slow this year, which is expected coming off knee surgery, but 17PPG and 9RPG is pretty damn good for me. Al plays better as a center.

Minny has a hard time selling to FA's because of their location/market. Kahn is trying to make a name for himself and he needs draft picks and young talent to make this happen. The great thing about Al Jefferson is he doesn't make a lot of money. He's on the books to make $13 Mil next year and I believe we would need to at least send $11 Mil. Maybe Morey can get Rubio as well...

 

You're missing the point: the stuff next year isn't better. We can't be a top team next year if we trade our pick for future picks -- that doesn't help our team at all next year. And the 2011 draft, by Morey's own admission, is going to be weak.

Beneath Daryl Morey? What? How? Morey has not wavered on record that he's committed to building around Yao. You're essentially proposing to start rebuilding -- I think THAT's beneath Morey, with the Rockets still having a window to contend. If Morey uses the draft pick this year (say on Hassan Whiteside), and Yao can't come back, we're still setup for the future with our draft pick. If we sign-and-trade for Bosh using our picks this year and others, we're still setup for the future if Yao can't come back.

Morey's "position he's built up" is to contend/build around Yao. That's it - that's his position he's been building towards. Landing Bosh seems to be the #1 target, and would make it Bosh's team not Yao's, but Morey has acquired all these picks/young talent to be in a position to trade for a star to put us over the top. He hasn't been doing it to trade our lottery pick for future picks in weaker drafts.

 

Most of workouts are about physical drills, 1on1s, 2on2, 3on3... (that's more 1on1s). Chase is not a 1on1 player. In instance I read he was overtaken by Paul Harris and company on these 3on3s...

Morey already suggested that more 5on5 should be played at workouts, absolutely the strength of Chase. I agree and I guess it's the future of those workouts.

 

Personally, I think draft pick talk is way too early given that our pick is most likely going to leave us before the draft(short of a miracle occuring and we get top 3).

The Rockets have too many rotation-level players and no real weakness. They also have a MLE that they likely can't even use because there's so much roster jam. If Morey has ANY 2-for-1/3-for-1 deals for a star/semi-star he'd throw in this pick easily. In fact, I'd almost say he'd be more willing to deal this pick then the NY 2012 pick, because we really have no need for rookies next year in a win-now situation.

 

Given that we won't want to lose Scola for nothing, and that I don't see cajoling him into letting us sign-and-trade him for a package that nets us Bosh....

The lure of another All Star on the team....How much is about getting on TV, selling tickets, getting the fanbase excited? How much is about getting respect from the refs? These things are important, but how many wins would we have WITH Bosh than without?

As I said, I don't see Luis going in a sign-and-trade. He would have to agree to it. MAYBE if you included Shane in the deal. Those two are buds. BUT, how do you say, "We LOVE you guys....Specifically, we'd LOVE you to let us trade you for Bosh."

Whatever we do, it should address our glaring need for defense. Draft Udoh? Sign Camby? Trade for Iguodala? SOMEthing. Yao's return will not completely erase our problems at D, even if the big guy is healthy.

 

Come on. Do you really think that these things aren't already worked out before FA? There's a reason why players sometimes sign the day FA opens. And it's not because the team and the player were love at first sight and decide to sign after zero negotiations.

 

Personally, i can't wait for this season to be over and get on with the summer free agents in preparation for next year. I am sensing something big happening.

 

The 2010 draft being stronger than the 2011 draft is a valid point, but it doesn't override everything else, IMO.

By no means am I proposing we start over. I am proposing that we keep building. Risking everything to make it with Yao might include signing aging veterans to contracts for too many years, or avoiding players with 0-2 years experience; these are the real salary bargains, aside from the potential. Besides, I am contrasting what I would really like (a #4 pick plus a hot FA) with what I think DM is going to do. And, I DON'T think DM is going to sign a veteran to a bad contract just to maximize our shot the next couple of years.

The problem with risking it all for Yao, even if he weren't injury-prone, is that stuff happens to throw you off a short-term plan. We thought we were going to make it when we brought in Artest, but Yao and Tracy got injured. We gave up a nice rookie for that one.

I think, if DM can bring in Chris Bosh or the like to help Yao get us over the hump, he will do it. I think he is also looking longer-term, and will not sacrifice the future just to maximize our chances of winning it in the next 2-3 years.

What I mean by it being beneath DM and his position is that what he has built is worth more than gambling it away.

 

I've mentioned this before. If i can get a good medical on jefferson, i would do it. He makes good money, but his versitility is what trumps it for me. He can actually play center for long stretches. I would rather have bosh, but jefferson comes at less assets. They might have to take sessions who would probably replace lowry in the process.

 

I don't disagree with you much, but 1) I don't think it's so hard to manipulate the number of roster spots, and 2) the guaranteed money to rookies isn't that much. For instance, the top pick will get $4.3 million, and the later picks will get less than that.

I guess you have a point about having a few first-rounders at once, but what would be so bad, really, about paying $2.5 million or so to a Hilton Armstrong (before knowing he's definitely a dud)? I don't think DM would go for three first-rounders at this point, but what would be so bad about spending $8 million, say, on three rookies, hoping for an AB and a Sam Cassell (another low pick)? BTW, you didn't mention it, but I'm sure you know that 2nd-rounders aren't guaranteed.

 

Morey has one strategy in conducting the business of the Rockets;

Trade Rape.

 

He's on the block and it will heat up this summer easpecially with the loaded 4/5 positions in the draft. Love can play center like Okur and they can draft one of those big time pf's and mover jefferson for a wing or get his contract off the books.