KellyDwyer has asked specifically many times to not post the entire article in here. Just a link and a snippet.
If Von Wafer is equivalent to Tracy McGrady and at 1/25th the price, I'm the equivalent of Sean Conneryand I'd gladly star in any movie for FREE.
A really good article, and I agree with the general thrust of Daryl Morey doing a great job considering the team he inherited. But to me, when it comes down to it there's one way to assess the performance of a GM that trumps all others and that's how successful he's made his team. Ferry made have made some bad moves in the past, but his biggest offseason pickup (Mo Williams) has been a clear-cut success compared to our biggest offseason pickup (Ron Artest). So I'd give the award to him. There were a few other points I'd quibble with. Morey had made mentioned of his concern over the Rockets performance in "high leverage moments", so he apparently does not agree that points scored in middle of the game means just as much as points scored at the end. Also, while Scola, Landry, and Hayes will all hustle for you, that's about where their similarities end. Still, as I said, a very well written piece on the whole. As much as Kelly Dwyer might deny it, I think he's a closeted Rockets fan.
adelman should win coach of the year and morey should win executive of the year and yao is a better center than dwight howard and shane battier has never made a 1st all nba defensive team. the list of travesties continue, but that's the life of a rockets fan. the mass media simply don't care enough about the houston area.
Getting Mo Williams for chump change should trump everything. He basically got a all star, in his prime for a 2nd rd pick just because the gm wanted to get rid of offensive players. Not to mention, they have the best record in the league. morey has done a good job, but its not like other arent deserving.
It's a great article KD I posted there but hit send too soon... my thoughts got mixed up when I was moving them around! I just love how even though KD writes a general NBA blog, he does his homework and digs deeper than what the "main stream media" would have us all think.
I never said he didnt do a good job, i've maintained he didnt cover the bases. Yao not having a legit backup whom adelman will play was a mistake.Signing barry when gys like barnes were cheaper were a mistake. I'm not going to bash the guy and the fact adelman is a really good coach hides alot just like jvg hid alot of flaws on the team.
I'm sure he just meant Mcgrady this year but the statement loses its flair if you say Wafer is equal to 'the gimpy, one-legged Mcgrady who gets blocked by the rim this year'. Sure, Wafer is nowhere near as good as Mcgrady was but getting a player that can match or exceed the production of a player getting paid max money is always impressive. I don't think Mcgrady was all that bad the season Morey inherited the team. I think these past two seasons are when we've seen considerable drop off. I think the talent level of the role players has vastly increased, though. Pretty much all of the players not in the starting lineup of that 06-07 team could be out of the league by next season.
Great article. It will be interesting to see how this team looks in 2010 when McGrady and his $23 million goes off the books. Just look at this Salary break down on Hoops Hype: Houston Rockets Salaries
Damn, that was a great article. Wish more journalists put in this kind of effort in their work as opposed to the "TEHY TRADED 4 MO WILLIASM ADN WON 66 GMES!!11" intellectual slothfulness that will dominate the airwaves/press once awards speculation heats up. PS: Thankyou. I think I will throw up if I have to read one more time on this board how the Rockets should target Marcus Camby.
Danny Ferry did a good job? 50% of his team's 91 million(3rd highest in the league) goes to Ben Wallace, Wally Szcerbiak, Eric Snow, and Big Z. That is a freaking joke. Give Lebron James and Mo Williams our roster minus Yao and Mcgrady and that is a dynasty team.
I didn't want to do the entire article, but here is a snippett. [qoute]Does anyone remember what the Cavs gave up for Williams? You may have to look it up. They sent Damon Jones to Milwaukee and Joe Smith to Oklahoma City as part of a three-team deal. No draft picks changed hands in either deal. Jones has played a total of 87 minutes (less than an hour and a half) this season, and Smith... Oh yeah, he's back in Cleveland now. [/quote] Thats great gm work.
Dwyer is one of my favorite sports journalists, and this article (as usual) delivers. I clicked the link.