How impressive is Daryl Morey

[ssspence]

Morey has been spectacular but I'm not sure he wins a ring with Yao Ming there.

That team is still a move away (an impact player) from being able to win the West. So, I'm still dubious about their ability to win a title with Yao.

  Do you see them winning a ring without him? They'd still be at least 1-2 stars away from contending.

I don't think Houston should trade Yao ... just that they are still far away from a title and he's not getting any younger or healthier.

I feel like it's a short window to put a title contender on the floor. At least with Yao as their franchise player.

The Rockets should absolutely continue to build around Yao for the foreseeable future. Yao gives them their best chance at winning a title over the next 3-4 years.

And then once Yao's game fades, like you said, the Rockets would still be 1-2 stars away from fielding another contender.

So the years directly after Yao's decline look difficult for Morey as well. So I think there's a strong chance Morey goes the next 7-8 years without winning a ring.

We'll see if he manages to land another impact player to play alongside Yao (their lottery pick + depth + Jeffries expiring contract could make a good trade package this summer). I think that's his best chance to win a title throughout that stretch.

Have a look at their future commitments:

http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/rockets.jsp

pretty clean. an 8 year prediction may be a bit bold.

[kozlodoev]

I saw people suggesting that Morey overpaid by giving up Landry for Martin, and I just don't understand that.

Overpaid? I am still at a loss how the Kings can trade a starter who can put 20 points in his sleep for a career bench player. Oh well.

[indeedproceed]

Houston is on the rise again. I love it.

[snively]

I saw people suggesting that Morey overpaid by giving up Landry for Martin, and I just don't understand that.

Overpaid? I am still at a loss how the Kings can trade a starter who can put 20 points in his sleep for a career bench player. Oh well.

While I'm not sure that Landry's a career bench player, I agree that Morey did not in anyway overpay. 

I can't believe the Kings got so little for Martin.  Excellent player, great contract.

[greg_kite]

I saw people suggesting that Morey overpaid by giving up Landry for Martin, and I just don't understand that.

Overpaid? I am still at a loss how the Kings can trade a starter who can put 20 points in his sleep for a career bench player. Oh well.

He's putting up 16 points shooting 40% since he came back.  They think Evans is more suited at the 2, which means their two best guys were 2 guards.

Landry was a bench player but he is a monster down low.  He will start in Sacramento.  He was a leading candidate for sixth man, so it's not like he was on the bench because he sucked.  He's clearly better than Chuck Hayes, who often started in front of him.

They overpaid because they didn't just give up Landry, they gave up the ever valuable $21 million expiring contract.  Most people tend to think the expiring contract should have brought on a bad contract like Martins.  In the coming years I wouldn't be shocked to see his viewed as an albatross contract.

The Rockets now go from a team that could play with big wings, Ariza and Battier, to a team that plays small with Martin at the 2, Ariza at the 3 and Battier at the 4.  

Martin is one dimensional and isn't worth 11+ million a year.

[dig616]

I've said it before and I will say it again.

I really don't like this trade from Houstons point of View.

Lets start of with Martin, he's soft, doesn't attack the rim and is always injured.

The main reason I don't like it is for what it does to Houston up front.

You just gave away Landry a 6th man of the year candidate and a candidate for most improved player, I watch a lot of Rockets games and Landry is an absolute stud, extremely underrated and hes only going to get better.

Now Houstons big man rotation consists of scola, hayes and Jordan Hill? Really thats going to compete in the West?

There is no guarantee Yao returns to his old all star self.

I don't know i'm not a big fan of this trade at all.

Where do you get that Martin doesn't attack the rim? Do you know that last year he averaged 10.3FTA per game? You don't reach that by just shooting 3's all day (which he does well- 38.6% for his career).
To put 10.3FTA into perspective, that is more LeBron is averaging this year (10.1). And what makes Martin even better is that he hits 85%+ of his FTs, which LeBron can only dream of doing.
Martin is an excellent scorer- legitimately one of the best in the game. His career true shooting % is right at 60%. That's FOURTH amongst active players. The only players higher than him are Nash, Amare, and Dwight. I believe LeBron is somewhere around 56%. It was no fluke that Martin lead the NCAA in scoring during his final season at Western Carolina.
Additionally, the Rockets are clearly playing for next year, which makes Landry expendable. Their rotation for next year will probably look something like this-
PG- Brooks/Lowry
SG- Martin/Ariza
SF- Battier/Ariza/Jeffries
PF-Scola/Hayes/Jeffries
C- Yao/Hill
That is a contending roster right there. I can also guarantee you that Ariza becomes much more efficient coming off the bench as 6th man than he is as "the guy." Additionally, Lowry, Ariza, Jeffries, and Hayes are all terrific and versatile defenders to have off the bench, and Hill could mature into one. Jeffries and Hayes are 2 of the only guys in the league that can legitimately guard all 3 front court positions.
I LOVE what Morey has done. It was pretty obvious they couldn't clear the cap space to go after a big FA, so Morey took a different avenue to make his team a legit top 5 title contender for next season upon Yao's return.
Great dealing.

Oh, and I didn't even mention the picks they acquired in the trade. They could easily be lottery picks that end up in the rotation right away. This deal was highway robbery.

[ssspence]

I've said it before and I will say it again.

I really don't like this trade from Houstons point of View.

Lets start of with Martin, he's soft, doesn't attack the rim and is always injured.

The main reason I don't like it is for what it does to Houston up front.

You just gave away Landry a 6th man of the year candidate and a candidate for most improved player, I watch a lot of Rockets games and Landry is an absolute stud, extremely underrated and hes only going to get better.

Now Houstons big man rotation consists of scola, hayes and Jordan Hill? Really thats going to compete in the West?

There is no guarantee Yao returns to his old all star self.

I don't know i'm not a big fan of this trade at all.

Landry is really good. Trading him for a better player and 2 first round picks is also good.

[Who]

Morey has been spectacular but I'm not sure he wins a ring with Yao Ming there.

That team is still a move away (an impact player) from being able to win the West. So, I'm still dubious about their ability to win a title with Yao.

  Do you see them winning a ring without him? They'd still be at least 1-2 stars away from contending.

I don't think Houston should trade Yao ... just that they are still far away from a title and he's not getting any younger or healthier.

I feel like it's a short window to put a title contender on the floor. At least with Yao as their franchise player.

The Rockets should absolutely continue to build around Yao for the foreseeable future. Yao gives them their best chance at winning a title over the next 3-4 years.

And then once Yao's game fades, like you said, the Rockets would still be 1-2 stars away from fielding another contender.

So the years directly after Yao's decline look difficult for Morey as well. So I think there's a strong chance Morey goes the next 7-8 years without winning a ring.

We'll see if he manages to land another impact player to play alongside Yao (their lottery pick + depth + Jeffries expiring contract could make a good trade package this summer). I think that's his best chance to win a title throughout that stretch.

Have a look at their future commitments:

http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/rockets.jsp

pretty clean. an 8 year prediction may be a bit bold.

The cap flexibility doesn't matter here. Houston won't have enough cap space to add a third star to Yao Ming + Kevin Martin and won't be able to acquire an elite player via free agency if Yao Ming isn't there.

If Houston signs Yao Ming to another contract extension on a 3-4 year deal at $15+ million per year they'll be locked into that team for the next five years trying to win a title. And that is exactly what they should do.

If they fail to capitalize on that 5 year window ... then they'll need to rebuild and that will take a few years itself. At that point Morey will have been with the Rockets for a decade and not won a championship.

-----------------------------------------------------

The Rockets have an opportunity to win a title with Yao Ming as their franchise player. It's there, it's real, it's attainable.

I just don't like their odds due to Yao's injuries + age ... and their competition in the West (Lakers, Blazers, and the up and coming Thunder).

I think they're quite likely to fail. They have a chance but it's small chance.

[Who]

Yao Ming is 30 years old at the start of next season and will have only had one season in the previous five years where he played more than 60 games and he got injured in the playoffs that year. Yao is by far the Rockets best player and only All-NBA caliber player on their roster.

Now, in order to win a title, Houston needs (1) Yao to be healthy + able to regain his previous level of performance (2) manage to land an impact player ... I just don't like the odds of that happening. It's possible but very unlikely.

-----------------------------------------------------

Luis Scola is their third best player. He will also be 30 years old by the end of this season and is up for a contract extension.

Also, Shane Battier is 32 years old at the start of next season. He is their fourth of fifth best (Ariza?) player.

The Rockets core without Scola + Yao would be Kevin Martin + Aaron Brooks + Kyle Lowry + Trevor Ariza. Basically, the Sacramento Kings of the last few years. Turning that group of players, without Yao/Scola, into a contender would be an incredibly difficult task.

So, a pair of 30 year old big men, one of whom who has a very poor injury track record and is carrying 300+lbs on his 7-6 frame ... are the Rockets best chance of winning a title + given their age/injuries will likely only create a short window of opportunity.

Avoiding the obstacles looks difficult. I don't like their chances.

[ssspence]

Morey has been spectacular but I'm not sure he wins a ring with Yao Ming there.

That team is still a move away (an impact player) from being able to win the West. So, I'm still dubious about their ability to win a title with Yao.

  Do you see them winning a ring without him? They'd still be at least 1-2 stars away from contending.

I don't think Houston should trade Yao ... just that they are still far away from a title and he's not getting any younger or healthier.

I feel like it's a short window to put a title contender on the floor. At least with Yao as their franchise player.

The Rockets should absolutely continue to build around Yao for the foreseeable future. Yao gives them their best chance at winning a title over the next 3-4 years.

And then once Yao's game fades, like you said, the Rockets would still be 1-2 stars away from fielding another contender.

So the years directly after Yao's decline look difficult for Morey as well. So I think there's a strong chance Morey goes the next 7-8 years without winning a ring.

We'll see if he manages to land another impact player to play alongside Yao (their lottery pick + depth + Jeffries expiring contract could make a good trade package this summer). I think that's his best chance to win a title throughout that stretch.

Have a look at their future commitments:

http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/rockets.jsp

pretty clean. an 8 year prediction may be a bit bold.

The cap flexibility doesn't matter. Houston won't have enough cap space to add a third star to Yao Ming + Kevin Martin and won't be able to acquire an elite player via free agency if Yao Ming isn't there.

If Houston signs Yao Ming to another contract extension on a 3-4 year deal at $15+ million per year they'll be locked into that team for the next five years trying to win a title. And that is exactly what they should do.

If they fail to capitalize on that 5 year window ... then they'll need to rebuild and that will take a few years itself. At that point Morey will have been with the Rockets for a decade and not won a championship.

-----------------------------------------------------

The Rockets have an opportunity to win a title with Yao Ming as their franchise player. It's there, it's real, it's attainable.

I just don't like their odds due to Yao's injuries + age ... and their competition in the West (Lakers, Blazers, and the up and coming Thunder).

I think they're quite likely to fail. They have a chance but it's small chance.

wrong, their flexibility does matter (talk about a poor blanket statement, particularly considering the potential hard cap coming).

I disagree about their ability to add a player thru or after yao. they can either trade him (teams will line up for the revenue opportunity) or sign a key FA in 2011 -- players like houston (warm, tax free income, etc).

ask yourself this -- would toronto accept a s-and-t of yao for bosh if chris wanted to go to houston? don't think it won't come up.

[rav123]

I've said it before and I will say it again.

I really don't like this trade from Houstons point of View.

Lets start of with Martin, he's soft, doesn't attack the rim and is always injured.

The main reason I don't like it is for what it does to Houston up front.

You just gave away Landry a 6th man of the year candidate and a candidate for most improved player, I watch a lot of Rockets games and Landry is an absolute stud, extremely underrated and hes only going to get better.

Now Houstons big man rotation consists of scola, hayes and Jordan Hill? Really thats going to compete in the West?

There is no guarantee Yao returns to his old all star self.

I don't know i'm not a big fan of this trade at all.

Landry is really good. Trading him for a better player and 2 first round picks is also good.

And a first round pick in Daryl Morey's hands is a lot more dangerous than it is on Donnie Walsh's or Mike Dunleavy's or [Insert GM who drafts a lot of busts here]'s

[Who]

Morey has been spectacular but I'm not sure he wins a ring with Yao Ming there.

That team is still a move away (an impact player) from being able to win the West. So, I'm still dubious about their ability to win a title with Yao.

  Do you see them winning a ring without him? They'd still be at least 1-2 stars away from contending.

I don't think Houston should trade Yao ... just that they are still far away from a title and he's not getting any younger or healthier.

I feel like it's a short window to put a title contender on the floor. At least with Yao as their franchise player.

The Rockets should absolutely continue to build around Yao for the foreseeable future. Yao gives them their best chance at winning a title over the next 3-4 years.

And then once Yao's game fades, like you said, the Rockets would still be 1-2 stars away from fielding another contender.

So the years directly after Yao's decline look difficult for Morey as well. So I think there's a strong chance Morey goes the next 7-8 years without winning a ring.

We'll see if he manages to land another impact player to play alongside Yao (their lottery pick + depth + Jeffries expiring contract could make a good trade package this summer). I think that's his best chance to win a title throughout that stretch.

Have a look at their future commitments:

http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/rockets.jsp

pretty clean. an 8 year prediction may be a bit bold.

The cap flexibility doesn't matter. Houston won't have enough cap space to add a third star to Yao Ming + Kevin Martin and won't be able to acquire an elite player via free agency if Yao Ming isn't there.

If Houston signs Yao Ming to another contract extension on a 3-4 year deal at $15+ million per year they'll be locked into that team for the next five years trying to win a title. And that is exactly what they should do.

If they fail to capitalize on that 5 year window ... then they'll need to rebuild and that will take a few years itself. At that point Morey will have been with the Rockets for a decade and not won a championship.

-----------------------------------------------------

The Rockets have an opportunity to win a title with Yao Ming as their franchise player. It's there, it's real, it's attainable.

I just don't like their odds due to Yao's injuries + age ... and their competition in the West (Lakers, Blazers, and the up and coming Thunder).

I think they're quite likely to fail. They have a chance but it's small chance.

wrong, their flexibility does matter (talk about a poor blanket statement, particularly considering the potential hard cap coming).

I disagree about their ability to add a player thru or after yao. they can either trade him (teams will line up for the revenue opportunity) or sign a key FA in 2011 -- players like houston (warm, tax free income, etc).

ask yourself this -- would toronto accept a s-and-t of yao for bosh if chris wanted to go to houston? don't think it won't come up.

Correction to my last post: Cap flexibility doesn't matter -- to -- Cap flexibility doesn't matter in this case (because of the two reasons I mentioned).

---------------------------------------------

Who are the Rockets signing in 2011 with their max contract cap space?

[BballTim]

Morey has been spectacular but I'm not sure he wins a ring with Yao Ming there.

That team is still a move away (an impact player) from being able to win the West. So, I'm still dubious about their ability to win a title with Yao.

  Do you see them winning a ring without him? They'd still be at least 1-2 stars away from contending.

I don't think Houston should trade Yao ... just that they are still far away from a title and he's not getting any younger or healthier.

I feel like it's a short window to put a title contender on the floor. At least with Yao as their franchise player.

The Rockets should absolutely continue to build around Yao for the foreseeable future. Yao gives them their best chance at winning a title over the next 3-4 years.

And then once Yao's game fades, like you said, the Rockets would still be 1-2 stars away from fielding another contender.

So the years directly after Yao's decline look difficult for Morey as well. So I think there's a strong chance Morey goes the next 7-8 years without winning a ring.

We'll see if he manages to land another impact player to play alongside Yao (their lottery pick + depth + Jeffries expiring contract could make a good trade package this summer). I think that's his best chance to win a title throughout that stretch.

Have a look at their future commitments:

http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/rockets.jsp

pretty clean. an 8 year prediction may be a bit bold.

The cap flexibility doesn't matter. Houston won't have enough cap space to add a third star to Yao Ming + Kevin Martin and won't be able to acquire an elite player via free agency if Yao Ming isn't there.

If Houston signs Yao Ming to another contract extension on a 3-4 year deal at $15+ million per year they'll be locked into that team for the next five years trying to win a title. And that is exactly what they should do.

If they fail to capitalize on that 5 year window ... then they'll need to rebuild and that will take a few years itself. At that point Morey will have been with the Rockets for a decade and not won a championship.

-----------------------------------------------------

The Rockets have an opportunity to win a title with Yao Ming as their franchise player. It's there, it's real, it's attainable.

I just don't like their odds due to Yao's injuries + age ... and their competition in the West (Lakers, Blazers, and the up and coming Thunder).

I think they're quite likely to fail. They have a chance but it's small chance.

wrong, their flexibility does matter (talk about a poor blanket statement, particularly considering the potential hard cap coming).

I disagree about their ability to add a player thru or after yao. they can either trade him (teams will line up for the revenue opportunity) or sign a key FA in 2011 -- players like houston (warm, tax free income, etc).

ask yourself this -- would toronto accept a s-and-t of yao for bosh if chris wanted to go to houston? don't think it won't come up.

  Would Bosh and Kevin Martin scare anyone? All they need on top of that is a franchise player.

[indeedproceed]

  Would Bosh and Kevin Martin scare anyone? All they need on top of that is a franchise player.

You mean like a 7'6 30 year old center that last averaged roughly 20 pts 10 boards and 2 blocks?

[BostonArizona]

I've said it before and I will say it again.

I really don't like this trade from Houstons point of View.

Lets start of with Martin, he's soft, doesn't attack the rim and is always injured.

The main reason I don't like it is for what it does to Houston up front.

You just gave away Landry a 6th man of the year candidate and a candidate for most improved player, I watch a lot of Rockets games and Landry is an absolute stud, extremely underrated and hes only going to get better.

Now Houstons big man rotation consists of scola, hayes and Jordan Hill? Really thats going to compete in the West?

There is no guarantee Yao returns to his old all star self.

I don't know i'm not a big fan of this trade at all.

Is this post a joke?

When healthy Martin avgs about 10 FTs per game.

He draws fouls all the time.

Carl Landry is definitely young talent, but turning him into multiple picks and a proven top flight scorer is a no brainer.