Around The NBA!!!

[iamworthy]

We have one of these every year. I know its kind of early but so much has happened this summer in the NBA. Being that we are about to start up training camp next month...lets get this party started. Feel free to post any question, or and thought you may have. We usually keep this open for a year, so Im sure it will be around for a while. Okay, here's my first question.


Did I miss something about the greatness of Daryl Morey? Why is that guy considered to be so great?

[DEEP3CL]

It's self proclaimed hype Big Game, dude is a GM Houston ownership hired on the cheap and just hoped he'd learn the job. Which he still hasn't.

[iamworthy]

It's self proclaimed hype Big Game, dude is a GM Houston ownership hired on the cheap and just hoped he'd learn the job. Which he still hasn't.

Agree. But cats act like this guy is the best GM ever. They act like his IQ is off the charts?

[Pablo Escobar]

Houston hasn't done ish yet so people need to calm down that hype Mitch has won back to back titles and no one talks about the job he's done

[iamworthy]

Houston hasn't done ish yet so people need to calm down that hype Mitch has won back to back titles and no one talks about the job he's done

Agree. Mitch is never mentioned when it comes to the top GM's. Just another slap in the face of the lakers. Everyone expects us to be great, therefore there is no appreciation....

[laduane1]

Every team has a GM and a president and CEO and all the titles to go with it. I do not see anything special in this Houston GM. The only thing that matters is the Lakers and what they are doing. There owner just got into the hall of fame. Magic, Kareem, Worthy ect are in the hall of fame. Jerry West is in the hall of fame. We had Chick Hearn, the greatest of all time. We can go on and on and on.

5 titles in the last 10 years and could be more coming.

Why are we talking about other people when the Laker history of playes and coaches and GM's could blow this board.

[Dr Aki]

Houston hasn't done ish yet so people need to calm down that hype Mitch has won back to back titles and no one talks about the job he's done

because he does good (not great) things with what little he has. honestly, good drafting, decent free agency, and basically building slowly for the future. without being handed an absolute one-sided trade in their favour, theres not much he can do to build a contender.

houston have been playing the trade game for years with great success, they always seem to have expirings, young talent and draft picks up for trade and theyre continually making trades that increase talent without losing trade/cap flexibility (ie. taking baby steps forward) and treading playoff water for the short term.

hes basically built a team full of decent role players to try to surround yao (whenever hes not injured and productive), lets face it, theyre a middle of the pack team in the packed west trying to compete year in, year out.

the guy is just solid for the rox. he hasnt been excellent, just solid.

[iamworthy]

Houston hasn't done ish yet so people need to calm down that hype Mitch has won back to back titles and no one talks about the job he's done

because he does good (not great) things with what little he has. honestly, good drafting, decent free agency, and basically building slowly for the future. without being handed an absolute one-sided trade in their favour, theres not much he can do to build a contender.

houston have been playing the trade game for years with great success, they always seem to have expirings, young talent and draft picks up for trade and theyre continually making trades that increase talent without losing trade/cap flexibility (ie. taking baby steps forward) and treading playoff water for the short term.

hes basically built a team full of decent role players to try to surround yao (whenever hes not injured and productive), lets face it, theyre a middle of the pack team in the packed west trying to compete year in, year out.

the guy is just solid for the rox. he hasnt been excellent, just solid.

I wouldnt call what the rockets have been doing success.

[DEEP3CL]

I wouldnt call what the rockets have been doing success.

Exactly Big Game, every time I browse the Rocket board or see them in a thread regarding the Lakers those boys still living off that Game 7 in 09. Get over it already it's over and done with. Bottom line Morey hasn't done squat, and hasn't been fired because the expectations haven't been placed upon his head in the first place.

Dude has a job for life as long as he keeps payroll down...........real talk.

[Jase]

I wouldnt call what the rockets have been doing success.

I would. They do really well with their franchise player, and a majority of their payroll, on the bench in street clothes. They draft well, or steal solid draft picks (Chase Budinger is a find), they bring in quality, character guys, they have role players who know their role and don't pine to be more than they are (Scola, Battier) and give talented guys a shot who may not see much PT on other teams (Brooks comes to mind). I respect the organization, personally.

[ChampagnePapa]

I think Morey is getting a lot of the credit for Adelman's work. Adelman has been fantastic in all his stops with Houston probably being his best job yet. The guy has taken injuries and no name players in stride and really has had success. Morey has made some shrewd moves and some potentially dumb ones (should Martin's contract turn into a sore thumb). I think the overall success has more to do with the coach than the FO. I mean taking teams and dealing with Yao and Tracy being hurt year in and year out and still annoying people is quite an accomplishment.

I see all thse Laker fans on here rip the rockets in this thread. The rockets also pushed LA to the limit in 2009 with a garbage roster. You can call that the Lakers playing to their level, but they not only stepped up but murdered the lakers in a couple of those games. People pump up Bryan Colangelo and he is definitely seen as a great FO guy but what has he won? Not all success hinges on NBA titles so Houston might be underappreciated in that way, but I still feel thats moreso Adelman than Morey. The roster has been shaken up and the results have been fairly solid for several years now with the one constant being Adelman.

[laduane1]

Until they raise a banner. I really see them as the cousin that you see once a year at the family party and then you forget till next time you see her.

They need to make some kind of major impact and make people talk about them. Trading Ariza was a step backward as they did not want to go into the tax numbers. If they were so bold and wanted to win it all. Money would not be an issue.

So give that cute little cousin a kiss on the cheek and we shall see her next family dinner. In plain terms. Houston is just the Lakers little bitch and we shall bounce them around for the wins and spit them out.

[iamworthy]

I wouldnt call what the rockets have been doing success.

I would. They do really well with their franchise player, and a majority of their payroll, on the bench in street clothes. They draft well, or steal solid draft picks (Chase Budinger is a find), they bring in quality, character guys, they have role players who know their role and don't pine to be more than they are (Scola, Battier) and give talented guys a shot who may not see much PT on other teams (Brooks comes to mind). I respect the organization, personally.

Wont disagree with anything you said but....we differ when it comes to the definition of success. what have all those great moves, great character guys got them?

[The Skyhook]

According to Hoopshype the Rockets will owe $33,073,593 in contracts next year. Seeing how Yao is coming off the books I think they should consider going after Marc Gasol. I'm not sure taking a gamble on Yao's healthy is the right thing to do. I know Marc Gasol is restricted but if they can out pay the Grizzlies then they still could have some cap space to sign another key addition depending on what the cap will be at next year. With the right moves in free agency this year they could build a solid team that will be worth talking about but as of now I still don't think they have what it takes to beat Lakers in a 7 game series.

[iamworthy]

According to Hoopshype the Rockets will owe $33,073,593 in contracts next year. Seeing how Yao is coming off the books I think they should consider going after Marc Gasol. I'm not sure taking a gamble on Yao's healthy is the right thing to do. I know Marc Gasol is restricted but if they can out pay the Grizzlies then they still could have some cap space to sign another key addition depending on what the cap will be at next year. With the right moves in free agency this year they could build a solid team that will be worth talking about but as of now I still don't think they have what it takes to beat Lakers in a 7 game series.

Good research Captain.

[iamworthy]

How do you guys feel about OKC? Personally I think they are getting overrated on realgm. Thats the cost of the lakers not coming to play from game1. We make pretenders look like contenders....We did the same thing to the Rockets 2 years ago and they still think they are as good as us.

[The Skyhook]

Yeah I know what you mean about the Thunder. I personally like that team but it has to do a lot with them being a young team. I don't have a team outside of the Lakers but I love to follow the young teams. As far as the the Thunder being a threat to us I don't think we should really be concerned. Their biggest weakness is our biggest advantage at this moment. I think they lack the size to take us out. However they have a ton of speed and energy and if teams aren't cautious the Thunder could blow teams out of the building.

Besides size I think they also lack a true 2nd option. If I'm running that team I would like to have Russel as my 3rd option. Just like the Houston Rockets I think the Thunder really should look at going after Marc Gasol next offseason because from the looks of it, it appears that they could be in position to land him. I have been saying it a lot on the general boards recently about both the Rockets and Thunder. He would give the Thunder size and I think he would be a great 2nd option. He is just a few years older than KD and Westbrook so that would be a great core to build around for a long time.

[iamworthy]

Yeah I know what you mean about the Thunder. I personally like that team but it has to do a lot with them being a young team. I don't have a team outside of the Lakers but I love to follow the young teams. As far as the the Thunder being a threat to us I don't think we should really be concerned. Their biggest weakness is our biggest advantage at this moment. I think they lack the size to take us out. However they have a ton of speed and energy and if teams aren't cautious the Thunder could blow teams out of the building.

Besides size I think they also lack a true 2nd option. If I'm running that team I would like to have Russel as my 3rd option. Just like the Houston Rockets I think the Thunder really should look at going after Marc Gasol next offseason because from the looks of it, it appears that they could be in position to land him. I have been saying it a lot on the general boards recently about both the Rockets and Thunder. He would give the Thunder size and I think he would be a great 2nd option. He is just a few years older than KD and Westbrook so that would be a great core to build around for a long time.

Good post Skyhook! Lakers really didnt really punish OKC last year in the playoffs. Hopefully they get more aggressive in the post this year. We obviously have a nice advantage in the low post.

[The Skyhook]

Thanks my man. Even with all the dust that has settled down from free agency I'm still not sure which team I view as out biggest threat in the West. There is a lot of hype from Spurs fans about Tiago Splitter but I really don't know much about him. Dallas seems pretty strong but that meltdown in the playoffs last season still leaves me with a lot of question marks.

I keep thinking about the Nuggets because of how they have matched with us in recent match ups. What happened to George Karl was really unfortunate and I think if he is back and healthy the Nuggets may have some new found inspiration. They have a few guys who are going to be playing for new contracts and everyone usually plays better during that time but with Melo expected to opt out I think the team might be distracted.

If I had to absolutely pick a team at this point I would have to say Dallas. I believe if they they can get everything together then they could be in our rear view mirror all season long. I'm curious as to who you guys think might pose the biggest threat to us now that we somewhat know the look of the teams out West.

[Pablo Escobar]

We have no threat in the West can't wait to get that 3PEAT the NBA wants us to face the Heat but I would rather face the Celtics and beat them with Shaq how sweet would that be Kobe holding the title while Shaq walks off the court