lipoli390 wrote:I'm not a big Morey guy. He took over a winner, becaming GM of the Rockets the year after they team won 52 games. They won 55 and 53 games the next two seasons before falling off to a team that won 42, 43 and 34 games in each of the next three seasons before climbing back with 45, 54 and 56 wins the next three seasons only to fall back to a 41 win team the following season. The teams peaked three seasons ago with 65 wins. But through all that, the Rockets have never won an NBA championship or made the NBA finals during Morey's 13-year tenure as head of a warm-weather fairly large market team with a championship history.
Don't get me wrong, Morey's had a nice run and, of course, the Rockets have been far better than the Wolves and many other teams during his tenure. But he doesn't rank in my pantheon of elite NBA GMs over the years. And he certainly hasn't measured up to the size of his ego.
I'd love to have that level of GM here. Keep in mind he was one of the true innovators of the league a guy that actually used the D-league to some advantage In a number of ways. He kept a winner and that's not always easy to do...ask Knicks fans. The Rockets during his tenure have continually found diamonds in the rough or brought on guys nobody wanted and they got better there. No not every move was great and no they aren't the Spurs but the league clearly has thought he is pretty good otherwise they wouldn't have kept hiring guys from his tree. Heinke, Gupta, Rosas, McNair are just the guys off the top of my head that worked for him. One of the reasons I believe that Morey is/was such a good basketball executive is he has a real eye for talent for people to have around him in basketball operations. Not everyone in leadership has that type of skill.
Meanwhile not overcoming the Warriors to get to a finals...(they almost did once) shouldn't be held TOO much against them.
lipoli390 wrote:I'm not a big Morey guy. He took over a winner, becaming GM of the Rockets the year after they team won 52 games. They won 55 and 53 games the next two seasons before falling off to a team that won 42, 43 and 34 games in each of the next three seasons before climbing back with 45, 54 and 56 wins the next three seasons only to fall back to a 41 win team the following season. The teams peaked three seasons ago with 65 wins. But through all that, the Rockets have never won an NBA championship or made the NBA finals during Morey's 13-year tenure as head of a warm-weather fairly large market team with a championship history.
Don't get me wrong, Morey's had a nice run and, of course, the Rockets have been far better than the Wolves and many other teams during his tenure. But he doesn't rank in my pantheon of elite NBA GMs over the years. And he certainly hasn't measured up to the size of his ego.
I'd love to have that level of GM here. Keep in mind he was one of the true innovators of the league a guy that actually used the D-league to some advantage In a number of ways. He kept a winner and that's not always easy to do...ask Knicks fans. The Rockets during his tenure have continually found diamonds in the rough or brought on guys nobody wanted and they got better there. No not every move was great and no they aren't the Spurs but the league clearly has thought he is pretty good otherwise they wouldn't have kept hiring guys from his tree. Heinke, Gupta, Rosas, McNair are just the guys off the top of my head that worked for him. One of the reasons I believe that Morey is/was such a good basketball executive is he has a real eye for talent for people to have around him in basketball operations. Not everyone in leadership has that type of skill.
Meanwhile not overcoming the Warriors to get to a finals...(they almost did once) shouldn't be held TOO much against them.
Yes, teams have hired his assistants, but let's see whether any of them prove successful as front office heads. Heineken had some success, but he was cut loose. We'll see what Rosas, Gupta and McNair do. But yes, Morey is credited with pioneering "analytics" in the NBA. I think that's overblown. And I don't deny that he was generally successful in his 13 year tenure as Houston's GM. His best move was trading for James Harden - taking advantage of OKC's salary situation. I just don't view him as favorably as many others. I have a higher regard for the top basketball execs with the Warriors, Spurs, Nuggets and Jazz. I'll admit that my view of Morey is driven in part by the fact that he's so full of himself.
lipoli390 wrote:I'm not a big Morey guy. He took over a winner, becaming GM of the Rockets the year after they team won 52 games. They won 55 and 53 games the next two seasons before falling off to a team that won 42, 43 and 34 games in each of the next three seasons before climbing back with 45, 54 and 56 wins the next three seasons only to fall back to a 41 win team the following season. The teams peaked three seasons ago with 65 wins. But through all that, the Rockets have never won an NBA championship or made the NBA finals during Morey's 13-year tenure as head of a warm-weather fairly large market team with a championship history.
Don't get me wrong, Morey's had a nice run and, of course, the Rockets have been far better than the Wolves and many other teams during his tenure. But he doesn't rank in my pantheon of elite NBA GMs over the years. And he certainly hasn't measured up to the size of his ego.
I'm not the biggest Morey fan... but to be fair... Houston was never below .500 during his tenure. That 34 win team was in the lockout shortened season. They went 34 - 32.
Just for the fun of comparisons...
- Houston has had 3 losing seasons since 1989. And 28 seasons at .500 or better. Only once did they win fewer than 30 games. (28 - 54).
- Minnesota has had 22 losing seasons since 1989. The team has won fewer than 30 games 14 times.
lipoli390 wrote:I'm not a big Morey guy. He took over a winner, becaming GM of the Rockets the year after they team won 52 games. They won 55 and 53 games the next two seasons before falling off to a team that won 42, 43 and 34 games in each of the next three seasons before climbing back with 45, 54 and 56 wins the next three seasons only to fall back to a 41 win team the following season. The teams peaked three seasons ago with 65 wins. But through all that, the Rockets have never won an NBA championship or made the NBA finals during Morey's 13-year tenure as head of a warm-weather fairly large market team with a championship history.
Don't get me wrong, Morey's had a nice run and, of course, the Rockets have been far better than the Wolves and many other teams during his tenure. But he doesn't rank in my pantheon of elite NBA GMs over the years. And he certainly hasn't measured up to the size of his ego.
I'm not the biggest Morey fan... but to be fair... Houston was never below .500 during his tenure. That 34 win team was in the lockout shortened season. They went 34 - 32.
Just for the fun of comparisons...
- Houston has had 3 losing seasons since 1989. And 28 seasons at .500 or better. Only once did they win fewer than 30 games. (28 - 54).
- Minnesota has had 22 losing seasons since 1989. The team has won fewer than 30 games 14 times.
Great read on Morey and the ownership situation he was in as a GM. Sounds like those guys parallel the ole Wolves a bit. It made me wonder if the Minnesota situation truly is impossible between our ownership and really nothing that would lure any free agent.
