Morey’s acumen on full display
You definitely don’t get an award for being up 3-1 in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
If anything shiny and golden were handed out, it would obviously go to James Harden. And it’s been impossible to talk about Thunder versus Rockets without Russell Westbrook dominating the daily conversation, including trying to dictate when a respected reporter gets to ask a fair, simple question.
We can praise Mike D’Antoni, blame (and sympathize with) Billy Donovan, credit Patrick Beverley as the Game 1 hero, and dive into the importance of the Rockets closing this out in five.
Just know that Harden’s team isn’t in this increasingly promising spot without four guys who weren’t on the roster last June. And if we’re passing around compliments after just four postseason games — winning really does cure all — it’s impossible to talk up these Rockets without praising Daryl Morey.
What do Nene, Lou Williams, Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson have in common? Half of the eight-man rotation D’Antoni has employed in this tighter-than-itappears series was draped in red and white after the likely 2016-17 Coach of the Year became Kevin McHale’s official replacement.
Gordon — a top Sixth Man of the Year candidate — was an early July package deal with Anderson, with both sharpshooters seeking mid-career redemption after too many lost days in New Orleans.
“I think most people didn’t like the (Gordon and Anderson) signings, to be honest,” Morey said Monday at Toyota Center while D’Antoni’s Rockets practiced for Game 5. “It was a mixed response. … I ended up having to explain that signing more than most.”
Nene in red barely made a dent July 20, despite a seven-year run from 2009-15 when he averaged at least 11 points and 5.1 rebounds each season.
“We got very close to signing him when we had the canceled (Chris Paul) trade. We had met with Nene for long periods, and I actually thought he was coming. … He always appreciated how hard we came at him,” said Morey, referring to December 2011, when then-commissioner David Stern vetoed a three-team deal that would have sent Paul to the Lakers and Pau Gasol to the Rockets.
Williams was a lateFebruary, trade-deadline acquisition, pried from the rebuilding Lakers for a declining Corey Brewer and a 2017 first-round pick.
Exec of Year candidate
Wrap those four key new Rockets together, and that’s a general manager doing his job the right way. Buying low, taking smart risks, building around the clear face of a franchise.
It’s much more Jeff Luhnow than Rick Smith. And the Nene, Gordon, Anderson and Williams acquisitions are among the many reasons Morey could join D’Antoni and Gordon as 2016-17 award winners, potentially being named the NBA’s Executive of the Year.
“We talked about philosophy and what we needed. Obviously, shooting and all that,” D’Antoni said. “We just got lucky to get Eric and Ryan and Lou — eventually, Nene. They all just … you get lucky sometimes. … You’ve just got to give Daryl and his group a lot of credit.”
Morey’s take on his success through 86 combined regular and postseason games, with the second round of the playoffs just one win away: “We felt good about the plan that Leslie (Alexander) and myself and Mike put together. So far, so good. We’ve still got a ways to go.”
I’ve already written enough about Dwight Howard for the rest of my life. It’s impossible to mention the Rockets’ longtime GM without namedropping everyone from Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons to Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin.
Not one to stand pat
The one constant for Morey’s Rockets: change.
When he first locked in with Alexander’s franchise, Tracy McGrady was near the end of his career, and Trader Daryl was just getting started.
“I don’t feel like we really got the core around us until ’09, which was our best team with Ron Artest and Tracy and Shane (Battier) and Lowry and Chuck Hayes and all these good players — Aaron Brooks,” Morey said. “The unfortunate thing there was by the time we had figured out what fits and does really well, those guys physically were fading.”
Five seasons into life as a Houstonian, The Beard is finally surrounded with the right shooters and thriving in D’Antoni’s Harden-first system.
“Whenever you get a superstar like James … it takes a while,” Morey said.
Through four games against Oklahoma City, Morey’s newest pieces have been a perfect complement to the Rockets’ team-first version of Westbrook. Gordon, Williams and Nene combined for 50 bench points in Game 1. The trio then totaled 64 points in Game 4, offsetting an off day for Harden and carrying the Rockets to a 3-1 series lead.
“This time we’re excited because James is in his prime, and I do feel like we’ve been able to learn,” Morey said. “Sometimes it just takes time over the years to get the right players. I do feel like we’ve lined up very good players that fit. … It’s been good.”
The second round for the third-best team in the NBA this season would make Morey’s rebound year even better.