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After the Houston Rockets' first round eliminating to the Portland Trail Blazers, Daryl Morey said the Rockets will remain aggressive on the trade and free agency market.

However, Morey does not anticipate a major move that could include Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin.

“I don’t expect something bigger like that to happen," Morey said when asked whether the Rockets need to involve Asik and Lin in offseason moves. "I could see where you would look to that if something bigger were to happen, but I don’t anticipate that.

“We’re always aggressive. We’ll always explore aggressive scenarios. But I feel confident if those don’t emerge, we’re not far off. We need to get (the record) into the high 50s if we’re going to be as good as we want to be. We need to improve our defense primarily. We were the youngest team in the league (in the post-season, fourth youngest and second least experienced in the regular season) and improving so an addition or two that are key, I feel confident we can make that step forward that we need to make."

Morey believes the Rockets must elevate their win total to the upper 50s and receive internal development.

“I would always take a third All-Star guy either from one of our guys improving or addition," Morey said. "There’s no negative to adding an All-Star level player. That said, I don’t feel it’s necessary. I do feel it’s my job to explore those things. I think our group playing more together after only a season together plus a lot of young players that can take a step forward and improve, plus we’ve got financial flexibility this year. We’re not limited to minimum player additions."

Via Jonathan Feigen/Houston Chronicle

What a blowhard...

Yeah yeah.

That's always the headline

then he trades a first rounder or 2 for a superstar.

15th overall wrote:What a blowhard...

+1. Not a fan of Morey at all.

I don't get the Rockets continuing to use the excuse of "they're the youngest team in the league". That may be true from a number perspective, but both Dwight and Harden have gone to the NBA finals. They aren't some green team that was just happy to make the playoffs. Their core guys have plenty of playoff experience.

DusterBuster wrote:

15th overall wrote:What a blowhard...

+1. Not a fan of Morey at all.

I don't get the Rockets continuing to use the excuse of "they're the youngest team in the league". That may be true from a number perspective, but both Dwight and Harden have gone to the NBA finals. They aren't some green team that was just happy to make the playoffs. Their core guys have plenty of playoff experience.

Two players do not make a team.

doordoor123 wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:

15th overall wrote:What a blowhard...

+1. Not a fan of Morey at all.

I don't get the Rockets continuing to use the excuse of "they're the youngest team in the league". That may be true from a number perspective, but both Dwight and Harden have gone to the NBA finals. They aren't some green team that was just happy to make the playoffs. Their core guys have plenty of playoff experience.

Two players do not make a team.

Your leaders and best players do. Also, Asik has been to plenty of playoffs with Chicago. They aren't nearly as inexperienced as they keep wanting to make themselves out to be.

DusterBuster wrote:

doordoor123 wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:
+1. Not a fan of Morey at all.

I don't get the Rockets continuing to use the excuse of "they're the youngest team in the league". That may be true from a number perspective, but both Dwight and Harden have gone to the NBA finals. They aren't some green team that was just happy to make the playoffs. Their core guys have plenty of playoff experience.

Two players do not make a team.

Your leaders and best players do. Also, Asik has been to plenty of playoffs with Chicago. They aren't nearly as inexperienced as they keep wanting to make themselves out to be.

Harden has proven himself to be a poor leader time and time again and Howard has no interest in taking charge on the floor. Much of the reason why the Rockets are heading home early is became of McHale's inability to manage James Harden's ego growing bigger than his beard.

DusterBuster wrote:

doordoor123 wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:
+1. Not a fan of Morey at all.

I don't get the Rockets continuing to use the excuse of "they're the youngest team in the league". That may be true from a number perspective, but both Dwight and Harden have gone to the NBA finals. They aren't some green team that was just happy to make the playoffs. Their core guys have plenty of playoff experience.

Two players do not make a team.

Your leaders and best players do. Also, Asik has been to plenty of playoffs with Chicago. They aren't nearly as inexperienced as they keep wanting to make themselves out to be.

Something tells me Harden and Howard aren't leaders. Also, Asik is in his 4th year in the league and has been beyond the 1st round once. Francisco Garcia and Howard are the only vets on the team, they're exactly as green as Morey says.

DusterBuster wrote:

doordoor123 wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:
+1. Not a fan of Morey at all.

I don't get the Rockets continuing to use the excuse of "they're the youngest team in the league". That may be true from a number perspective, but both Dwight and Harden have gone to the NBA finals. They aren't some green team that was just happy to make the playoffs. Their core guys have plenty of playoff experience.

Two players do not make a team.

Your leaders and best players do. Also, Asik has been to plenty of playoffs with Chicago. They aren't nearly as inexperienced as they keep wanting to make themselves out to be.

No, they do not.

DusterBuster wrote:

15th overall wrote:What a blowhard...

+1. Not a fan of Morey at all.

I don't get the Rockets continuing to use the excuse of "they're the youngest team in the league". That may be true from a number perspective, but both Dwight and Harden have gone to the NBA finals. They aren't some green team that was just happy to make the playoffs. Their core guys have plenty of playoff experience.

Never heard or read anything about the Rockets saying they're the youngest, I've read a lot about team chemistry and I'd agree these guys needed a playoff series + 82 games under their belts to understand how to play together under pressure. There should be no reason this team doesn't win 50+ games next season.

Spoken like a real GM (no pun intended). A lot of people say fire McHale and to make major moves, which I don't think is the case with such a young team like the Rockets. They took some steps heading in the right direction. If this team wasn't stunned by Dame Lillard's IQ* (noticing Chandler Parsons anticpation of the inbounder slapping the ball before the play was ran) they'd be in the next round competing against the Spurs, a team they swept in the regular season.

*Watch the play again and notice Chandler Parsons

Championships wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:

15th overall wrote:What a blowhard...

+1. Not a fan of Morey at all.

I don't get the Rockets continuing to use the excuse of "they're the youngest team in the league". That may be true from a number perspective, but both Dwight and Harden have gone to the NBA finals. They aren't some green team that was just happy to make the playoffs. Their core guys have plenty of playoff experience.

Never heard or read anything about the Rockets saying they're the youngest, I've read a lot about team chemistry and I'd agree these guys needed a playoff series + 82 games under their belts to understand how to play together under pressure. There should be no reason this team doesn't win 50+ games next season.

Morey said it in the very article your commenting on...

KI-DW-TT-AB wrote:Yeah yeah.

That's always the headline

then he trades a first rounder or 2 for a superstar.

Except for the small fact that no team would be stupid enough to trade their star for 1st round picks that in short would be completely worthless, because it's not like the Rockets will be a lottery team anytime soon. It's a sad reality Rockets fan are going to have to deal with that when you're a luxury tax team, there are simply no moves to make. And say what you will about Lin and Asik but no team will give up their star for either or both of these guys, why?, if teams wanted them they would have traded for them by the trade deadline.

johne86 wrote:

KI-DW-TT-AB wrote:Yeah yeah.

That's always the headline

then he trades a first rounder or 2 for a superstar.

Except for the small fact that no team would be stupid enough to trade their star for 1st round picks that in short would be completely worthless, because it's not like the Rockets will be a lottery team anytime soon. It's a sad reality Rockets fan are going to have to deal with that when you're a luxury tax team, there are simply no moves to make. And say what you will about Lin and Asik but no team will give up their star for either or both of these guys, why?, if teams wanted them they would have traded for them by the trade deadline.

Thunder pretty much did and they have a highly regarded front office so, i dont know.

spaceman_E wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:

doordoor123 wrote:
Two players do not make a team.

Your leaders and best players do. Also, Asik has been to plenty of playoffs with Chicago. They aren't nearly as inexperienced as they keep wanting to make themselves out to be.

Something tells me Harden and Howard aren't leaders. Also, Asik is in his 4th year in the league and has been beyond the 1st round once. Francisco Garcia and Howard are the only vets on the team, they're exactly as green as Morey says.

lmao its not like they lost to a veteran team like Spurs, Mavs or Nets. inexperience could be an issue in the further rounds but it wasn't the case in this particular loss. Rockets lost because of their basketball-related weaknesses such us perimeter defense, lack of PF etc. Rockets have no business getting past the WC teams unless they make couple changes and cover their weaknesses. inexperience aside - they're simply too weak. Portland was actually a great matchup for them and they had HCA. they could've played Grizzlies who matched up great against the Rockets (Tony Allen on Harden, Gasol/Zach on Dwight, no 2nd big to guard both Gasol and Zach) or OKC (literally nobody to stop KD from putting up whatever he wants every game, Perkins v Dwight, Sefolosha guarding Harden) and it would be a beatdown.

Rockets need to adress their weaknesses and have those teams in mind. matchups matter a lot in the playoffs and that makes them very vulnerable. as far as I'm concerned Rockets are a complete non-threat in the west with the current lineup. I think they should trade Asik because he's reduntant and takes too much cap space with Dwight on the team. they should definitely trade Parsons, even though he's good, simply bc they're never getting out of the west against KD with Parsons defending him. playing in the WC, they need to have some perimeter stopper. they should also look for a better floor-spreading PG. I really like Jeremy Lin but he's not a good fit next to James Harden and everybody knows it. so basically the Rockets need 2 all-defense forwards (that dont ruin spacing) just to have a chance to make it out of the west. they have a LONG way to go.

Agree with other posts - Houston need a Leader-like player
Harden cannot be a leader... no matter how great his offensive skills are, how can a player lead if he (i) frequently flop (ii) messed-up the team with blown off-ball defensively assignments (iii) pass the ball to teammate for rushed last-seconds shot after (occasional) failed attempts of creating shots for himself?
Dwight can be, someday, but his personality is still too playful at the moment.

KI-DW-TT-AB wrote:

johne86 wrote:

KI-DW-TT-AB wrote:Yeah yeah.

That's always the headline

then he trades a first rounder or 2 for a superstar.

Except for the small fact that no team would be stupid enough to trade their star for 1st round picks that in short would be completely worthless, because it's not like the Rockets will be a lottery team anytime soon. It's a sad reality Rockets fan are going to have to deal with that when you're a luxury tax team, there are simply no moves to make. And say what you will about Lin and Asik but no team will give up their star for either or both of these guys, why?, if teams wanted them they would have traded for them by the trade deadline.

Thunder pretty much did and they have a highly regarded front office so, i dont know.

Only the Thunder weren't looking for value but rather to dump salary.

bastillon wrote:

spaceman_E wrote:

DusterBuster wrote:Your leaders and best players do. Also, Asik has been to plenty of playoffs with Chicago. They aren't nearly as inexperienced as they keep wanting to make themselves out to be.

Something tells me Harden and Howard aren't leaders. Also, Asik is in his 4th year in the league and has been beyond the 1st round once. Francisco Garcia and Howard are the only vets on the team, they're exactly as green as Morey says.

lmao its not like they lost to a veteran team like Spurs, Mavs or Nets. inexperience could be an issue in the further rounds but it wasn't the case in this particular loss. Rockets lost because of their basketball-related weaknesses such us perimeter defense, lack of PF etc. Rockets have no business getting past the WC teams unless they make couple changes and cover their weaknesses. inexperience aside - they're simply too weak. Portland was actually a great matchup for them and they had HCA. they could've played Grizzlies who matched up great against the Rockets (Tony Allen on Harden, Gasol/Zach on Dwight, no 2nd big to guard both Gasol and Zach) or OKC (literally nobody to stop KD from putting up whatever he wants every game, Perkins v Dwight, Sefolosha guarding Harden) and it would be a beatdown.

Rockets need to adress their weaknesses and have those teams in mind. matchups matter a lot in the playoffs and that makes them very vulnerable. as far as I'm concerned Rockets are a complete non-threat in the west with the current lineup. I think they should trade Asik because he's reduntant and takes too much cap space with Dwight on the team. they should definitely trade Parsons, even though he's good, simply bc they're never getting out of the west against KD with Parsons defending him. playing in the WC, they need to have some perimeter stopper. they should also look for a better floor-spreading PG. I really like Jeremy Lin but he's not a good fit next to James Harden and everybody knows it. so basically the Rockets need 2 all-defense forwards (that dont ruin spacing) just to have a chance to make it out of the west. they have a LONG way to go.

The Rockets need a Paul Pierce, an Andre Iguodala, a Kirk Hinrich and a Mike Miller. Daryl Morey should regret on the duo of smart-ass poison pill contracts he gave JLin and Asik two seasons ago. He could have netted all 4 plus more if he has not done what he did.

He doesn't anticipate big moves because no one is willing to give up what he is asking for - come back down to earth, make some sensible offers and then expect to make a move. Don't offer ridicilous trade scenarios...something insane as Asik for 3 first round picks/a solid role player and expect trades to happen

dude is hella overrated