Don't back into the 8th seed just to get railed by Oklahoma City. Just continue playing like garbage and.lock up that third first round pick.

Lottery pick + no playoffs >>>> no first round pick and playoffs.

I am in the agreeance.

What about the $$$ generated from the playoff games. at least 2 home, plus network sponsorships.

most people would choose playoffs over lower draft picks.

potential top 5 picks though?

Why would I care about the money aspect? All I care about is winning. We're not winnign the first round. 3 first round picks instead of 2 would mean more winning down the road.

because the organization is about to enter what some may consider it's most important, and possibly impactful, offseason ever?

they have a lot of work to do. $$$$ is nice.

Les Alexander isn't hurting for money. They'll spend every dime they can spend per the rules of the league, like they always do. It will be nicer to add 3 mid-first round picks of one of the deepest drafts in a long time rather than 2.

and what about if the spurs finish in the first seed?

I wouldn't pick this team to beat any of the playoff teams in a series the way they are playing as of late.

Are the Rockets getting more average each year under morey?

Don't see how you could make that argument. They are finishing no worse than the last 2 years.

I think the problem with the rockets situation is pretty obvious to anybody who knows anything about basketball. They don't have any blue chip superstar players and they are too well-run/well-coached to tank a season and get a high draft pick and they aren't a destination team for any super stars that have become available. There's really nothing Morey can do about the desires of super stars to only want to team up with other super stars in big media market teams and he honestly wouldn't be doing his job is this team was sucking so badly they would be in the top 3 picks of the draft.

If you look at his draft, he's hit on a higher-than-normal rate of mid fist and 2nd round players -- Chandler Parsons, Chase Buddinger, and Carl Landry are all 2nd round picks in his 5 years of drafts that have turned into productive NBA players who will have long careers. San Antonio is the only other team that comes to mind that has this kind of hit rate.

The Rafer Alston for Kyle Lowry trade was a steal. Aaron Brooks for Goran Dragic and a pick was a steal. VSpan for Scola was a steal. And if we don't make the playoffs, trading a lottery protected first round pick for TWill won't look so bad -- but it will if you do make the playoffs. And there are lots of ways to look at the McGrady mega deal which yielded Kevin Martin, picks, etc., depending on what you think the Rockets really had on the table.

At the end of the day, he's done a lot more good than bad, but unfortunately the only way to get out of this rut would be to get EXTREMELY lucky with a mid-round draft pick or a big sign-and-trade like the one which almost happened to land us Gasol and was reneged by the league.

quote:

---

at least 2 home, plus network sponsorships.

---

lulz. The Rockets aren't the Hornets. Who cares.

don't worry about it..... looking at how we played recently, we're not making playoffs

quote:

---

They don't have any blue chip superstar players and they are too well-run/well-coached to tank a season and get a high draft pick and they aren't a destination team for any super stars that have become available.

---

This.

Alexander wants this team to compete regardless of the product on the floor, Morey has done a really good job working with his "assets" but hasn't gotten a big name yet. With that recipe we will consistently be on the verge of a lotto pick or 8 seed year in and year out unless something changes.

theres a few things that I've noticed from our past 4 games:

1. We live and die by the 3 point shot. over the past four games, Lee and Bud have been pretty awful since we came home from the west coast (discounting Bud's few hot minutes vs the Nuggets at home). We've taken for granted how well we played on the road trip. During our losing streak, we've shot close to 30% from three, but on the road trip we shot 52% from three.

2. McHale has inexplicably refused to play Dalembert or Camby in the 4th quarters of our losing streak (I realize Camby was out last game). This means that Scola has been our tallest person on the floor at these times, which is never good. I attended the Suns game and watched the two Denver games. Seriously all these teams did when we had our short lineup was out-physical us.

quote:

---

out-physical

---

quote:

---

2. McHale has inexplicably refused to play Dalembert or Camby in the 4th quarters of our losing streak (I realize Camby was out last game). This means that Scola has been our tallest person on the floor at these times, which is never good. I attended the Suns game and watched the two Denver games. Seriously all these teams did when we had our short lineup was out-physical us.

---

Shades of Adelman

I hear what you're saying, but it has a sad few years since we've last been in the postseason. I've missed watching the Rockets in the playoffs. I agree that an extra pick would probably be best in the long run, but I think I would rather go to the playoffs honestly

I've gotta agree with Houston Summit here. To me, tanking = not trying, and I cant support a product that doesn't try. Thats what keeps me a Rockets fan.

And seriously, at this point, with this draft class, even losing out the rest of the way probably wont make much of a difference what kind of player we get. The only players that are all the special are Anthony Davis, Kidd-Gilcrist, Drummond, and maybe Sullinger

Don't assume OKC will be the 1 seed.

It's not like we're just going to have the 14 pick instead of the 16 pick or something. It's the difference between drafting a guy like Fab Melo and not having him on the team... in addition to a John Henson (athletic PF) or a Jeremy Lamb (young scoring guard to let you amnesty KMart)

none of those guys are NBA material

Hotard,

Morey has been as good as there has been on drafting (my opinion). However, ultimately, here are the Rocket results during his tenure as GM.

Year (Rank in league out of 30 based on winning percentage).

06-07 (pre-Morey): 5th in league (playoffs)

Morey era
07-08 6th in league (playoffs)
08-09 8th in league (playoffs)
09-10 16th in league (no playoffs)
10-11 14th in league (no playoffs)
11-12 (as it stands now) 18th in league (no playoffs)

Ultimately, if Rick Adelman was held accountable for those results, at what point does Morey take responsibility?

quote:

---

none of those guys are NBA material

---

i agree the rockets need a star.

so if you told me that having that 3rd first round pick would help them obtain a significant piece in a trade, i'd be all for it.

if we're just going to draft yet another rotational guy with it, give me the playoffs (first round exit or not)

quote:

---

so if you told me that having that 3rd first round pick would help them obtain a significant piece in a trade, i'd be all for it.

if we're just going to draft yet another rotational guy with it, give me the playoffs (first round exit or not)

---

Bingo. I agree 100%

I'm with HotardAg07 on this one, but it doesn't matter anyways. They aren't making the playoffs.

Another positive move Morey made is getting a 1st rounder for Jordan Hill. Seriously guys, Jordan Hill.

Morey needs to make some big moves this offseason. I may get ripped for this, but Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Courtney Lee, Chandler Parsons, and Kevin Martin are not starters on a championship contender. Courtney Lee could maybe start for a really good team like Chicago, but he's best off the bench. With 3 1st round picks and plenty of tradeable assets, we need to make a big, big move, whether that be moving up in the draft or getting a proven star player.

Supposedly Donatas Motiejunas will be here next year. He needs to play over Scola, regardless if there are growing pains. Besides, all he has to do is put his arms straight up to provide more defensively than Scola. Marcus Morris needs to start over Parsons, even though I like Parsons. If Morris figures it out defensively, he can be very very good because his offensive arsenal is great.

So for next year we could see:

PG: Kyle Lowry, ???
SG: ???, Courtney Lee
SF: Marcus Morris, Chandler Parsons, Chase Budinger
PF: Donatas Motiejunas, Patrick Patterson
C : Sam Dalembert, ???

That's not a contender, but it's moving in the right direction because it's not so dang undersized. And hopefully we can fill some of those holes by trading K-Mart and Scola (and anyone else really), as well as the draft picks.

Oh, and I really don't want Andre Drummond either. He has too much JaVale McGee/Hasheem Thabeet in him. Sooooo dumb.

What makes you think a guy who cannot make it out of the D-league should be starting over a guy who has already proved to be a capable starter?

Why is Montejunas a PF? Are we gonna play twin towers here?

[This message has been edited by HotardAg07 (edited 4/20/2012 9:01a).]

quote:

---

What makes you think a guy who cannot make it out of the D-league should be starting over a guy who has already proved to be a capable starter?

---

Morris was placed in the D-League to get experience as a 3 since he played in the post in college. He also absolutely lit it up down there. Parsons is a capable player, but not a starter on a contender. Morris is the better athlete and better scorer. As long as he improves defensively, he absolutely should play over Parsons.

quote:

---

Why is Montejunas a PF? Are we gonna play twin towers here?

---

He plays like a PF. He's tall but skinny. I don't think he is physical enough to be a starting 5. I could be wrong though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stJLAzWddVs

quote:

---

Morey needs to make some big moves this offseason. I may get ripped for this, but Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Courtney Lee, Chandler Parsons, and Kevin Martin are not starters on a championship contender. Courtney Lee could maybe start for a really good team like Chicago, but he's best off the bench. With 3 1st round picks and plenty of tradeable assets, we need to make a big, big move, whether that be moving up in the draft or getting a proven star player.

Supposedly Donatas Motiejunas will be here next year. He needs to play over Scola, regardless if there are growing pains. Besides, all he has to do is put his arms straight up to provide more defensively than Scola. Marcus Morris needs to start over Parsons, even though I like Parsons. If Morris figures it out defensively, he can be very very good because his offensive arsenal is great.

---

Sorry, but this is dumbest ****ing **** I've read all season.

I just love it how the "experts" on this board are always making concrete judgements on players after one year!

The truth is that even the great players take a few years to develop. That is true in football and it is true in basketball.

When you only draft some 60 players a year from around the world, there is not a one of them that doesn't have some basketball talent. Only a hand full show that special talent coming into the draft, there are a upper end lottery pick bust and there are a lot of great players that come from later on. Nowitizki, Kobe coming quickly to mind. How about Drexler, K. Malone, J Stockton. These are guys drafted in the mid first, right around the spot that Houston is about to have a couple of picks.

The deal is those guys just didn't come in an just blow the league up their first year. Then you got guys like Parker who came in from overseas and were not drafted high and needed time and good coaching to develop.

Bottomline there are lot of really good players in this league that were drafted from the 5th to 15th. There are conversely quite a few bust that were drafted from 1-4 in comparison to the expectations that they had. In any case it takes 2 -4 year for a player to really come into their own.

I think Parsons can really develop into a really nice player. He is athletic, smart, and sound but has a lot of upside still.

Hard to say about Patterson. He needs to develop an inside game.

The problem with the Rockets is really really simple. Outside of Scola they have ZERO inside game! Scola would be much more effective as the second option at the post not the first.

If the Rockets could find a Kevin Love type of player they would immediately go from Lot to at least a 4 seed.

[This message has been edited by OPAG (edited 4/20/2012 10:25a).]

quote:

---

Morris was placed in the D-League to get experience as a 3 since he played in the post in college. He also absolutely lit it up down there. Parsons is a capable player, but not a starter on a contender. Morris is the better athlete and better scorer. As long as he improves defensively, he absolutely should play over Parsons.

---

I'm not ruling out the possibilitly of morris turning into a legit starter, or of chandler never getting better or even possibly regressing....

but to make the statement that morris "absolutely should play over parsons" is just asinine. let's see morris actually do something on an NBA court other than shoot 27% before proclaiming him our future starter at the 3 spot.

quote:

---

'm not ruling out the possibilitly of morris turning into a legit starter, or of chandler never getting better or even possibly regressing....

but to make the statement that morris "absolutely should play over parsons" is just asinine. let's see morris actually do something on an NBA court other than shoot 27% before proclaiming him our future starter at the 3 spot

---

Absolutely Morris needs to improve first and earn the spot. If he can't, then we need to get someone who can. I like Parsons because he's been very good for a rookie, but how many top contenders would he start for and how much can he really improve? I believe Morris has more "potential." But again I agree Morris needs to earn it.

Similar situation with Scola. Scola is a 6'8" finesse PF. How many championship contenders have a 6'8" PF or finesse PF in their starting lineup? Except in Scola's case, he isn't going to improve. He is what he is, and that's not a starting caliber PF on a championship contender.

Rockets' fans like these guys because they're hard workers and seem like "good guys." That doesn't change the fact that as a team, the Rockets are incredibly limited with those guys in the lineup. I personally would rather take the risk on Morris and Motiejunas and go through the growing pains than spin our tires in mediocrity. We're in the absolute worst spot a team can be: the middle of the pack. Unless we can finally land a star player to get us out of that area, we need to just rebuild. Fans don't like to hear it, but it's true. Otherwise we're just praying to "strike gold" with picks that rarely produce franchise changing players.

quote:

---

The problem with the Rockets is really really simple. Outside of Scola they have ZERO inside game!

---

Very true. Also, another problem with this team is we live and die way too much from the 3 point line, but we don't have many players who can consistenly knock that 3 point shot down. Kevin Martin used to be that guy who could score from the perimeter, but even he was incredibly streaky this year before he got hurt, and his atrocious defense doesn't justify him being on the court if he can't score the ball.

However, probably a major reason we rely so heavily from the outside is due to the fact that we have such a glaring weakness inside. If we can find some scoring in the paint we wouldn't have to shoot so many threes.

This is probably the most important year for Morey (assuming he is given another year after this catastrophic collapse). If he can't find a way to get a star or move up in the draft and this team floats around the #9 or #10 spot, I don't see him hanging around much longer

quote:

---

Absolutely Morris needs to improve first and earn the spot. If he can't, then we need to get someone who can. I like Parsons because he's been very good for a rookie, but how many top contenders would he start for and how much can he really improve? I believe Morris has more "potential." But again I agree Morris needs to earn it.

Similar situation with Scola. Scola is a 6'8" finesse PF. How many championship contenders have a 6'8" PF or finesse PF in their starting lineup? Except in Scola's case, he isn't going to improve. He is what he is, and that's not a starting caliber PF on a championship contender.

Rockets' fans like these guys because they're hard workers and seem like "good guys." That doesn't change the fact that as a team, the Rockets are incredibly limited with those guys in the lineup. I personally would rather take the risk on Morris and Motiejunas and go through the growing pains than spin our tires in mediocrity. We're in the absolute worst spot a team can be: the middle of the pack. Unless we can finally land a star player to get us out of that area, we need to just rebuild. Fans don't like to hear it, but it's true. Otherwise we're just praying to "strike gold" with picks that rarely produce franchise changing players.

---

You are literally the 1st person to point out that Houston has a bunch of nice players, but is missing a true star.

I'm glad we've finally come to realize this, so that we can now proceed with finding said star.

Nevermind the fact that morey traded for the exact person you are describing, and the league took him away.