-The Bulls continue to run screen-and-roll with Ben Gordon at the top of the key at the end of games. For the last year of so, teams realize that the play off that is to double Gordon and trap him, so he cannot attack the basket. Often times, due to a lack of height, Gordon ends up getting trapped near the half court line and the Bulls do not get a shot up. The especially frutstrating part about this is that they use a non-perimeter player to set the screen, so he is not a threat when the opposition doubles the ball.
-Like Kobe Bryant does for the Lakers and Chris Paul does for the Hornets, during the Rockets twenty-two game winning streak, the entire offense ran through Tracy McGrady. Outside of an increase in points per game, by looking at the statistics, you can not see the impact McGrady truly made during the eleven games the Rockets won during Yao Ming's absence. However, by running their offense through McGrady, he was able to involve guys like Luis Scola, Carl Landry, Chuck Hayes, Bobby Jackson, and even Mike Harris to infuse the winning streak. Allowing Alston to play more off the ball and utilize his improved three point shooting is ideal for the Rockets. During the twenty-two game winning streak, Alston shot nearly fourty percent from behind the three point line, including three games where he hit four or more threes.
-In last night's game, Boston chose to put all their efforts into minimizing McGrady's impact. Paul Pierce, Tony Allen, and James Posey all took shots at defending McGrady, but it was really a team effort that forced the ball out of his hands. McGrady shot four for eleven from the field and only scored eight points. Although he still ended up having eight assists, McGrady's plus/minus ended at -27, and he basically sat out the entire fourth quarter after the Rockets were outscored 32 to 16 in the third.
-I'm guessing after last night's embarrassing loss to the Detroit Pistons, 136-120, the Nuggets are now really regretting not making a trade for Ron Artest. The Nuggets stand today one-and-a-half games out of the playoffs and average 109 points per game given up - third worst in the NBA. At this point, I do not think the Nuggets will make the playoffs. Their only capable defensive player appears to be Marcus Camby, but he cannot do it alone. Even if they do sneak into the playoffs, I would expect a very short stay.
Showing posts with label Tracy McGrady. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tracy McGrady. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
2/2/08 Houston Rockets @ Milwaukee Bucks
I went to the Rockets-Bucks game this past Saturday. It was supposedly viewed in China between 100-200 million people. There certainly were a great deal of Asian people at the game.
Some thoughts from the game:
-I still think the Bucks need to move to an up-tempo game. They have little depth, lack a big-time inside threat, and appear a bit soft. In a fast-paced game, they could take advantage of their guard play and versatility.
-After the game, I went on 82games.com and checked out the amount of time Charlie Villanueva and Yi Jianlian have played together. Since the combination of the two of them has not made up one of the top twenty, five-man units for the Bucks, I was not able to figure this out. However, I'm guessing it is very minimal.
-I assume Luis Scola has been a disappointment for the Rockets in terms of ability to score. All his points basically come in putbacks or transition. He has virtually no post moves and no mid-range shot.
-I really like some of the sets that Rick Adelman runs for Tracy McGrady to get shots. He uses different types of screens and even includes one where the point guard passes and then screens for McGrady to curl into the lane.
-Royal Ivey is a fringe-NBA player. He just doesn't do enough out there to make a difference, especially on offense - same can be said for Carl Landry.
-At this point, if Yi Jianlian is not hitting his jump shots off pick-and-pop he is useless. He struggles to defend, is not quick enough to take his man off the dribble, and cannot score in the post beyond a fadeaway.
-I really like Aaron Brooks and think he has a lot of potential. However, at this point, he forces too many turnovers and is not as far along as I thought he would be.
-The Rockets need a true, veteran point guard who will be a distributor, knock down open three pointers, and play tough defense. At his best, Rafer Alston does the first two well. At his worse, Alston doesn't do any of these things and then the Rockets struggle to win games.
-The Bucks either need to make Villanueva fit into their offense or trade him. He shoots everytime he touches the ball and appears disgruntled with the team. Again, I would play Yi and Villanueva together and see how that goes. They can't be much worse off then they are today, sitting there with a record of 18-30.
-Houston has to be disappointed with the play of Mike James. James makes $5,632,200 this season, $6,049,400 in 2008-09, and has a player option of $6,466,600 in 2009-10. He's playing behind Alston and Brooks at the point guard spot and Tracy McGrady, Luther Head, and Bonzi Wells at shooting guard. He's averaging seventeen minutes per game and only 6.9 points per game. In the last twenty games, James has played in only four of them - his best performance coming in a 31-point win against Minnesota.
Video:
Some thoughts from the game:
-I still think the Bucks need to move to an up-tempo game. They have little depth, lack a big-time inside threat, and appear a bit soft. In a fast-paced game, they could take advantage of their guard play and versatility.
-After the game, I went on 82games.com and checked out the amount of time Charlie Villanueva and Yi Jianlian have played together. Since the combination of the two of them has not made up one of the top twenty, five-man units for the Bucks, I was not able to figure this out. However, I'm guessing it is very minimal.
-I assume Luis Scola has been a disappointment for the Rockets in terms of ability to score. All his points basically come in putbacks or transition. He has virtually no post moves and no mid-range shot.
-I really like some of the sets that Rick Adelman runs for Tracy McGrady to get shots. He uses different types of screens and even includes one where the point guard passes and then screens for McGrady to curl into the lane.
-Royal Ivey is a fringe-NBA player. He just doesn't do enough out there to make a difference, especially on offense - same can be said for Carl Landry.
-At this point, if Yi Jianlian is not hitting his jump shots off pick-and-pop he is useless. He struggles to defend, is not quick enough to take his man off the dribble, and cannot score in the post beyond a fadeaway.
-I really like Aaron Brooks and think he has a lot of potential. However, at this point, he forces too many turnovers and is not as far along as I thought he would be.
-The Rockets need a true, veteran point guard who will be a distributor, knock down open three pointers, and play tough defense. At his best, Rafer Alston does the first two well. At his worse, Alston doesn't do any of these things and then the Rockets struggle to win games.
-The Bucks either need to make Villanueva fit into their offense or trade him. He shoots everytime he touches the ball and appears disgruntled with the team. Again, I would play Yi and Villanueva together and see how that goes. They can't be much worse off then they are today, sitting there with a record of 18-30.
-Houston has to be disappointed with the play of Mike James. James makes $5,632,200 this season, $6,049,400 in 2008-09, and has a player option of $6,466,600 in 2009-10. He's playing behind Alston and Brooks at the point guard spot and Tracy McGrady, Luther Head, and Bonzi Wells at shooting guard. He's averaging seventeen minutes per game and only 6.9 points per game. In the last twenty games, James has played in only four of them - his best performance coming in a 31-point win against Minnesota.
Video:
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Observations on Rockets @ Lakers - 10/30/07
Last night, I watched the Houston Rockets open their season in Los Angeles against the Lakers. All week, there has been discussion around Kobe Bryant and whether or not he will continue to force a trade out of Los Angeles.
Here is the boxscore from last night's game:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_ylt=AhLqHhTyqnNLGQi8kUst.sU5nYcB?gid=2007103013
My observations:
-Hiring Rick Adelman as the head coach of the Rockets was a great move. He will bring more innovation to Houston's offense and they will take advantage of the team's personnel. Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady are in the prime of their career and it would be a waste for them to continue to play in a slow-down, pull-the-ball-out type of offense.
-Shane Battier is a perfect fit in Adelman's offense. When Houston plays Battier at power forward, he brings a great deal of versatility that fits very well with the rest of the team. His ability to pass the ball - ala Chris Webber - could be the key to their offense running smoothly.
-The fact that Yao Ming's scoring average has improved every year of his five-year career is something that probably does not get enough attention. The key for him this year will be to stay healthy for the majority of the season. The last two regular seasons he has missed a combined 61 games.
-It may take Adelman awhile to figure out who will fit best at point guard with the team's new offensive philosophy. Rafer Alston is currently the starting point guard, but he makes too many bad plays and struggles to properly run his team's offense in the half court game. Mike James is much more of a shooting guard and Luther Head has never shown the ability to play any position beyond shooting guard.
-Mike James could end up fitting in perfectly with Adelman's team as long as its at the off guard spot. Like Bobby Jackson did in the past with his Kings teams, James can come off the bench and score in bunches. As an undersized shooting guard, he takes advantage of his speed and quickness and can be instant offense.
-It wouldn't suprise me if by the end of the season, neither Alston or James is the teams' starting point guard. Adelman may give Aaron Brooks a chance at some point during the year. Trading for a point guard may be the end solution for the Rockets to take the next step.
-Bonzi Wells looked noticeably thinner and ready to play this season for his former coach. If he can get back to the way he played in the 2005-06 season, it would be a real boost for Houston. He provides a great deal of versatility by being able to post up smaller defenders and rebound terrifically.
-Bryant certainly seemed to want to silence his critics lsat night as he score 53 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and had eight assists, two steals, and a block. As they showed last night on the broadcast, in games where Bryant scored at least 40 points last season, the Lakers went 13-5. Perhaps Bryant scoring almost a half of his teams' points may be the key to the Lakers success this season.
-The Lakers roster is severly flawed by my account. They have too many hustle-type guys and not enough talent. Guys like Ronny Turiaf, Jordan Farmar, and Cobe Karl work hard, but should not be playing on a nightly basis. However, some may put Luke Walton into that category, but I really like what he does for the team. He is a terrific passer, works hard on defense, and can even post up a bit.
-I think Phil Jackson should consider getting Javaris Crittenton some playing time. I recognize this was only the first game of the season, but Crittenton is a big guard who I think would look great next to Bryant. Ideally, I think you would have Crittenton starting the game and playing significant minutes and finishing the game with Derek Fisher in his spot on the floor. Fisher obviously has been there before and can hit big shots, but at this point in his career, should not be playing 30+ minutes per night.
-That game winning shot by Shane Battier took a lot of guts and was taken very deap. It would have been great to have seen this game gone into overtime and watch what Bryant would have done then. I'm guessing he would have finished with 60 points or so and the Lakers would have won on opening night. Hats off to Battier for playing great all night and hitting a really tough shot to win the game.
Here is the boxscore from last night's game:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_ylt=AhLqHhTyqnNLGQi8kUst.sU5nYcB?gid=2007103013
My observations:
-Hiring Rick Adelman as the head coach of the Rockets was a great move. He will bring more innovation to Houston's offense and they will take advantage of the team's personnel. Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady are in the prime of their career and it would be a waste for them to continue to play in a slow-down, pull-the-ball-out type of offense.
-Shane Battier is a perfect fit in Adelman's offense. When Houston plays Battier at power forward, he brings a great deal of versatility that fits very well with the rest of the team. His ability to pass the ball - ala Chris Webber - could be the key to their offense running smoothly.
-The fact that Yao Ming's scoring average has improved every year of his five-year career is something that probably does not get enough attention. The key for him this year will be to stay healthy for the majority of the season. The last two regular seasons he has missed a combined 61 games.
-It may take Adelman awhile to figure out who will fit best at point guard with the team's new offensive philosophy. Rafer Alston is currently the starting point guard, but he makes too many bad plays and struggles to properly run his team's offense in the half court game. Mike James is much more of a shooting guard and Luther Head has never shown the ability to play any position beyond shooting guard.
-Mike James could end up fitting in perfectly with Adelman's team as long as its at the off guard spot. Like Bobby Jackson did in the past with his Kings teams, James can come off the bench and score in bunches. As an undersized shooting guard, he takes advantage of his speed and quickness and can be instant offense.
-It wouldn't suprise me if by the end of the season, neither Alston or James is the teams' starting point guard. Adelman may give Aaron Brooks a chance at some point during the year. Trading for a point guard may be the end solution for the Rockets to take the next step.
-Bonzi Wells looked noticeably thinner and ready to play this season for his former coach. If he can get back to the way he played in the 2005-06 season, it would be a real boost for Houston. He provides a great deal of versatility by being able to post up smaller defenders and rebound terrifically.
-Bryant certainly seemed to want to silence his critics lsat night as he score 53 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and had eight assists, two steals, and a block. As they showed last night on the broadcast, in games where Bryant scored at least 40 points last season, the Lakers went 13-5. Perhaps Bryant scoring almost a half of his teams' points may be the key to the Lakers success this season.
-The Lakers roster is severly flawed by my account. They have too many hustle-type guys and not enough talent. Guys like Ronny Turiaf, Jordan Farmar, and Cobe Karl work hard, but should not be playing on a nightly basis. However, some may put Luke Walton into that category, but I really like what he does for the team. He is a terrific passer, works hard on defense, and can even post up a bit.
-I think Phil Jackson should consider getting Javaris Crittenton some playing time. I recognize this was only the first game of the season, but Crittenton is a big guard who I think would look great next to Bryant. Ideally, I think you would have Crittenton starting the game and playing significant minutes and finishing the game with Derek Fisher in his spot on the floor. Fisher obviously has been there before and can hit big shots, but at this point in his career, should not be playing 30+ minutes per night.
-That game winning shot by Shane Battier took a lot of guts and was taken very deap. It would have been great to have seen this game gone into overtime and watch what Bryant would have done then. I'm guessing he would have finished with 60 points or so and the Lakers would have won on opening night. Hats off to Battier for playing great all night and hitting a really tough shot to win the game.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Western Conference Power Rankings
With six Western Conference teams kicking off their season tonight, I wanted to share my power rankings as of today:
Contenders
1.) San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs bring back their core from last season's championship team, so why wouldn't they be on the top spot?
2.) Phoenix Suns - A full year with Nash, Marion, and Stoudamire should help the Suns once again compete for the title. Another year of development from Leandro Barbosa and Marcus Banks and the additions of D.J. Strawberry, Alando Tucker, and Grant Hill should be beneficial.
3.) Dallas Mavericks - Like the Spurs, the Mavericks essentially bring back the same roster. Like the Suns, the Mavericks are hoping another year of development from Devin Harris and DeSagana Diop along with the additions of Eddie Jones and Trenton Hassell will help them advance further this year in the playoffs.
Near Contenders
4.) Houston Rockets - The Rockets certainly had the best offseason in the Western Conference adding a handful of rotation players. However, Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady still have not won a single playoff series. Houston is most likely one year away from really contending.
5.) Utah Jazz - The Jazz had an uneventful offseason with their only significant additions being signing Jason Hart and drafting Morris Almond. Andrei Kirilenko's ability to play in Jerry Sloan's system and the development of Ronnie Brewer will be keys to Utah's success. I expect the Jazz to win the Northwest division once again this season.
6.) Denver Nuggets - The Nuggets will benefit from a full season with Kenyon Martin, however, I do not think they have enough to beat out the Jazz in the Northwest. The overall talent level of the Nuggets roster is still unbalanced and lack scoring off the bench. The Nuggets will get three-fourths of their scoring from Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and Nene Hilario.
Potentially Frisky
7.) New Orleans Hornets - Another year of the David West-Peja Stojakovic-Chris Paul-Tyson Chandler core playing together will be beneficial towards their success. The Hornets hope that one of their young big men - Hilton Armstrong, Melvin Ely, or Julian Wright - can be a significant contributor to the team. If so, the Hornets will play hard and be competitive each night against the league's best.
8.) Golden State Warriors - The Warriors have put together a nice, young group of players though I think this year they will take a step back. Brandan Wright, Patrick O'Bryant, Mickael Pietrus, Monta Ellis, and Marco Belinelli is a great young core, but they will not be ready to seriously compete for the Western Conference title. The Warriors will most likely get as much from Andris Biedrins, Baron Davis, and Stephen Jackson as they did last season.
Playoff Contenders
9.) Los Angeles Lakers - With other teams around them improving, I do not expect the Lakers to perform much better than they did last season. The Lakers will hope to avoid the injuries that plagued them last year, but certainly do not have enough talent to jump into the top six in the Western Conference and maybe not even enough to make the playoffs this season.
10.) Sacramento Kings - The Kings will continue to struggle as long as both Mike Bibby and Ron Artest are on the same roster. Both players have shown an inability to play with one another and they are still relying on too many unknown commodities. Although some of these guys (Fransisco Garcia, Quincy Douby) have shown potential, they cannot provide enough each night for the Kings to make the playoffs this season.
Up-and-Coming
11.) Memphis Grizzlies - The Grizzlies are certainly a nice, young team who at this point next year will be competing for a playoff spot. However, at this point, they are building for that time. They have the groundwork laid with a fantastic young point guard (Mike Conley), a versatile wing scorer (Rudy Gay), a scoring power forward (Darko Milicic), and an all-star caliber big man (Pau Gasol). They also have a nice array of bench players who can contribute. However, in a loaded Western Conference, they will fall short of reaching the playoffs.
12.) Portland Trail Blazers - Without Greg Oden, Portland is still one man short of being a contender this season. Travis Outlaw and LaMarcus Aldridge will be expected to fill the missing numbers from the Zach Randolph trade. Sorting out a group of point guards (Sergio Rodriguez, Jarrett Jack, Steve Blake) will also be interesting to watch.
Not Ready Yet
13.) Seattle SuperSonics - Seattle rebuilt their roster this summer and now features two talented rookies: Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. They will continue to slowly build a roster that will eventually compete for the championship, but at this point they are not at that level just yet.
14.) Minnesota Timberwolves - Minnesota has begun to put together the blueprint to quickly rebuild their roster after trading Kevin Garnett. Corey Brewer, Randy Foye, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, and Sebastian Telfair are all expected to be apart of Minnesota's long-range plans. However, outside of Jefferson, the Timberwolves will struggle to get consistency each night and will be one of the league's worse teams this season.
Falling Hard
15.) Los Angeles Clippers - With Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston expected to miss the entire season, the Clippers may be one of the league's worse teams this season. A once promising team, now lacks focus and a plan to make its way back to the playoffs.
Contenders
1.) San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs bring back their core from last season's championship team, so why wouldn't they be on the top spot?
2.) Phoenix Suns - A full year with Nash, Marion, and Stoudamire should help the Suns once again compete for the title. Another year of development from Leandro Barbosa and Marcus Banks and the additions of D.J. Strawberry, Alando Tucker, and Grant Hill should be beneficial.
3.) Dallas Mavericks - Like the Spurs, the Mavericks essentially bring back the same roster. Like the Suns, the Mavericks are hoping another year of development from Devin Harris and DeSagana Diop along with the additions of Eddie Jones and Trenton Hassell will help them advance further this year in the playoffs.
Near Contenders
4.) Houston Rockets - The Rockets certainly had the best offseason in the Western Conference adding a handful of rotation players. However, Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady still have not won a single playoff series. Houston is most likely one year away from really contending.
5.) Utah Jazz - The Jazz had an uneventful offseason with their only significant additions being signing Jason Hart and drafting Morris Almond. Andrei Kirilenko's ability to play in Jerry Sloan's system and the development of Ronnie Brewer will be keys to Utah's success. I expect the Jazz to win the Northwest division once again this season.
6.) Denver Nuggets - The Nuggets will benefit from a full season with Kenyon Martin, however, I do not think they have enough to beat out the Jazz in the Northwest. The overall talent level of the Nuggets roster is still unbalanced and lack scoring off the bench. The Nuggets will get three-fourths of their scoring from Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and Nene Hilario.
Potentially Frisky
7.) New Orleans Hornets - Another year of the David West-Peja Stojakovic-Chris Paul-Tyson Chandler core playing together will be beneficial towards their success. The Hornets hope that one of their young big men - Hilton Armstrong, Melvin Ely, or Julian Wright - can be a significant contributor to the team. If so, the Hornets will play hard and be competitive each night against the league's best.
8.) Golden State Warriors - The Warriors have put together a nice, young group of players though I think this year they will take a step back. Brandan Wright, Patrick O'Bryant, Mickael Pietrus, Monta Ellis, and Marco Belinelli is a great young core, but they will not be ready to seriously compete for the Western Conference title. The Warriors will most likely get as much from Andris Biedrins, Baron Davis, and Stephen Jackson as they did last season.
Playoff Contenders
9.) Los Angeles Lakers - With other teams around them improving, I do not expect the Lakers to perform much better than they did last season. The Lakers will hope to avoid the injuries that plagued them last year, but certainly do not have enough talent to jump into the top six in the Western Conference and maybe not even enough to make the playoffs this season.
10.) Sacramento Kings - The Kings will continue to struggle as long as both Mike Bibby and Ron Artest are on the same roster. Both players have shown an inability to play with one another and they are still relying on too many unknown commodities. Although some of these guys (Fransisco Garcia, Quincy Douby) have shown potential, they cannot provide enough each night for the Kings to make the playoffs this season.
Up-and-Coming
11.) Memphis Grizzlies - The Grizzlies are certainly a nice, young team who at this point next year will be competing for a playoff spot. However, at this point, they are building for that time. They have the groundwork laid with a fantastic young point guard (Mike Conley), a versatile wing scorer (Rudy Gay), a scoring power forward (Darko Milicic), and an all-star caliber big man (Pau Gasol). They also have a nice array of bench players who can contribute. However, in a loaded Western Conference, they will fall short of reaching the playoffs.
12.) Portland Trail Blazers - Without Greg Oden, Portland is still one man short of being a contender this season. Travis Outlaw and LaMarcus Aldridge will be expected to fill the missing numbers from the Zach Randolph trade. Sorting out a group of point guards (Sergio Rodriguez, Jarrett Jack, Steve Blake) will also be interesting to watch.
Not Ready Yet
13.) Seattle SuperSonics - Seattle rebuilt their roster this summer and now features two talented rookies: Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. They will continue to slowly build a roster that will eventually compete for the championship, but at this point they are not at that level just yet.
14.) Minnesota Timberwolves - Minnesota has begun to put together the blueprint to quickly rebuild their roster after trading Kevin Garnett. Corey Brewer, Randy Foye, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, and Sebastian Telfair are all expected to be apart of Minnesota's long-range plans. However, outside of Jefferson, the Timberwolves will struggle to get consistency each night and will be one of the league's worse teams this season.
Falling Hard
15.) Los Angeles Clippers - With Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston expected to miss the entire season, the Clippers may be one of the league's worse teams this season. A once promising team, now lacks focus and a plan to make its way back to the playoffs.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Reshuffling the Rockets
Randy Kim of AOL Sports wrote an insightful commentary yesterday on how Daryl Morey overhauled the Houston Rockets this offseason entitled "Rocketing to the Top".
As the offseason winds down and training camps prepare to open, it's a good time to try to determine which NBA squad improved itself the most this summer.
There are a few obvious choices: By trading for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, the Celtics quickly grew from a young rebuilding club to an Eastern contender. Both the Blazers and the Sonics have new hope thanks to the arrival of ballyhooed rookies Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, respectively. And by trading for the controversial Zach Randolph, the Knicks acquired a 20-10 player who could help carry New York back to the postseason if he can stay out of trouble.
All of these were subpar clubs that finished last season well out of the playoff picture, however. As far as the league's top teams are concerned, few made any significant changes this summer. In fact, look over the list of seven teams that won 50 or more games in 2006-07 and only one squad stands out as a franchise that made major improvements this offseason. Only the Houston Rockets had the gumption to add a new coach, two new point guards and a new starting power forward to a 52-win team.
What makes these drastic changes even more improbable is that this summer was Houston's first under new general manager Daryl Morey. And even more remarkable still? The Rockets GM is all of 35 years old.
Naturally, because of his assured roster moves, young age and close friendship with Oakland A's mastermind Billy Beane - the subject of the best-selling book "Moneyball" - Morey has quickly earned a reputation as the league's resident wunderkind who relies on objective statistical analysis more than pure basketball intuition. To that end, Morey doesn't deny borrowing from Beane's philosophies, yet he maintains that a good hoops executive can't make decisions based on stats alone.
"I think with every decision, whether it's baseball or basketball, what (Beane) and I and others are trying to find is some level of objective evidence to confirm your beliefs," admits Morey during a telephone interview. "And with each decision, there should be some component of analytical and objective evidence, and some component of more traditional methods.
"In baseball it just turns out that the sport lends itself to those decisions being driven more by objective evidence," continues Morey. "But in basketball, given the high level of interaction between the players and the play - you know, did a guy make the shot because there was a good pick, or because there was bad defense, or because the guy's a good shooter? - it's very hard to isolate those things, so you need to blend (scouts and statistical analysis) a lot more, and traditional scouting is something (the Rockets) value highly."
Morey is also aware that while being seen as a new-school, number-crunching GM was vital to him getting the Rockets job, there are also challenges that can come with that kind of reputation.
"(As a young GM, there probably are) some feelings of, 'He's a kid and he hasn't paid his dues,' " admits Morey. "But I've found that as a group, the GM's in the league are extraordinarily smart and welcoming. It's a very small community, and even if you aren't a fan of whoever's running another team, it's in everyone's best interests to keep those relationships strong."
Morey's theory of keeping relationships strong was perhaps best put to the test when the Rockets showed interest in a player the rival Spurs held the rights to: talented Argentinean power forward Luis Scola. Morey felt the chances of San Antonio GM R.C. Buford cutting a deal with their intra-division - and intrastate - rivals were slim. But Buford said Houston had a shot at acquiring Scola and he stuck to his word.
"We felt like throughout (the Scola trade) was a bit of a long shot because both of our teams are reluctant to trade with each other within the division," says Morey. "But I give R.C. a lot of credit. He told me that we would have a shot at the (Scola) deal if we were the highest bidder, and we were."
Morey doesn't just credit Buford as being a fair man, however. When asked if there's one team that he'd like to model the Rockets after, the Rockets GM is quick to mention Buford and Gregg Popovich's Spurs as the franchise that best knows how to navigate the NBA's tricky talent landscape while also winning games.
"You can look at lots of teams getting a Tim Duncan-like player, like maybe Kevin Garnett in Minnesota, and the pieces don't form around him well," says Morey. "But I think that (Buford and Popovich) have done a tremendous job of taking a smart, methodical approach to maximizing the talent around Tim Duncan. I'm extraordinarily impressed by the Spurs and hopefully we can copy just a small piece of what they've been able to do."
In his effort to mimic San Antonio's success, Morey hasn't just gone after Spurs players like Scola and Jackie Butler, however. Similarly to the Spurs, Morey places a precedence on eschewing long-term deals for anyone other than a team's stars - in Houston's case, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming - and showing stern fiscal responsibility when it comes to signing complementary players.
"Teams that don't (manage the salary cap) well get hurt, especially with teams like New York and Dallas coming off, basically, (a period when they would take) any contract on and not worry about the luxury tax," says Morey. "With those homes sort of going away, it makes the discipline of managing to the cap more important. And the teams that do it well will be able to pick up extra players and picks."
Having cap flexibility to grab those "extra players" is precisely how Morey was able to improve his team's one weakness: at point guard. In fact, it could be argued that Morey was a bit over-zealous as he now has six point guards on the Houston roster: Rafer Alston, Aaron Brooks, Steve Francis, Mike James, John Lucas and Bob Sura. But Morey maintains there can be strength in numbers.
"(Mike James is) probably the best shooter of all of the guys we've got, which is obviously always at a premium," explained Morey. "Rafer's more of a pass-first, up-tempo guy, and probably the best team defender ... And then Steve's just the ultimate guy who can get to the hoop and cut and rebound."
In fact, maintaining team chemistry might be a bigger challenge for new coach Rick Adelman than figuring out the point-guard rotation. Alston has been arrested twice this summer, something that Morey has openly said he's troubled with. And Francis, whom Morey admits kind of fell into the Rockets' laps, has a reputation as a me-first player who needs the ball in his hands to succeed. Morey, however, thinks they have a new Francis (nee "Stevie Franchise") on their hands.
"In most of (Adelman's) systems, a guy who's going to succeed is a cutter," says Morey. "It's very difficult for the guards to dominate the ball, or whatever criticisms there have been with Steve in the past. I think to Steve's credit he's taking winning over money, and he's got a new attitude."
So with all of these moves, does Morey see the Rockets as contenders for the title next year? The answer: While Morey isn't so green as to make brash predictions for the Rockets, he is still young enough to be openly optimistic.
"We felt like we were a good team last year but there was still a gap between us and the Spurs and the Suns and the Mavericks, and we feel like this offseason we've closed the gap," answered Morey. "We feel like we're in the mix (for a title) and certainly not getting farther into the playoffs would be a big disappointment for us."
So where does a thirtysomething exec who makes such a big splash in his first offseason come from? Well, for Morey, in the same way that most players have the lifelong dream of someday going pro, he has always yearned for a career in sports.
"I was always huge into sports from a very young age; my honeymoon was at the Olympics," admits Morey. "I did leave that goal (of a career in sports) for a little while, because it's extraordinarily hard to get a job in sports. But eventually I got my shot when I helped the Celtics' eventual owners buy the team."
From there, Morey networked within NBA circles and got pulled into the Rockets' fold by longtime Rockets GM Carroll Dawson. Dawson took Morey under his wing and introduced him to a number of league execs before he propped him up in the driver's seat.
"I knew some people through the Celtics, but Carroll was in a different network than Danny (Ainge), and he was very gracious with (his introductions)," says Morey. "And I think often when you come into a new situation, like maybe Sam Presti in Seattle, you have to make moves quickly, because you want to make those moves before things settle in."
But as quickly as Morey has made a splash, he hopes to mimic Dawson's longevity.
"He was around 28 years. I hope I make it that far," says Morey, before laughing to himself in wonderment. "I've got a little while still."
Given how well things have gone for his team so far, Morey stands a good shot at sticking around long enough to shed that "new kid" label. But in the meantime, don't be surprised if the Rockets win a couple of games along the way.
http://sports.aol.com/story/_a/rocketing-to-the-top/20070910192909990001
As the offseason winds down and training camps prepare to open, it's a good time to try to determine which NBA squad improved itself the most this summer.
There are a few obvious choices: By trading for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, the Celtics quickly grew from a young rebuilding club to an Eastern contender. Both the Blazers and the Sonics have new hope thanks to the arrival of ballyhooed rookies Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, respectively. And by trading for the controversial Zach Randolph, the Knicks acquired a 20-10 player who could help carry New York back to the postseason if he can stay out of trouble.
All of these were subpar clubs that finished last season well out of the playoff picture, however. As far as the league's top teams are concerned, few made any significant changes this summer. In fact, look over the list of seven teams that won 50 or more games in 2006-07 and only one squad stands out as a franchise that made major improvements this offseason. Only the Houston Rockets had the gumption to add a new coach, two new point guards and a new starting power forward to a 52-win team.
What makes these drastic changes even more improbable is that this summer was Houston's first under new general manager Daryl Morey. And even more remarkable still? The Rockets GM is all of 35 years old.
Naturally, because of his assured roster moves, young age and close friendship with Oakland A's mastermind Billy Beane - the subject of the best-selling book "Moneyball" - Morey has quickly earned a reputation as the league's resident wunderkind who relies on objective statistical analysis more than pure basketball intuition. To that end, Morey doesn't deny borrowing from Beane's philosophies, yet he maintains that a good hoops executive can't make decisions based on stats alone.
"I think with every decision, whether it's baseball or basketball, what (Beane) and I and others are trying to find is some level of objective evidence to confirm your beliefs," admits Morey during a telephone interview. "And with each decision, there should be some component of analytical and objective evidence, and some component of more traditional methods.
"In baseball it just turns out that the sport lends itself to those decisions being driven more by objective evidence," continues Morey. "But in basketball, given the high level of interaction between the players and the play - you know, did a guy make the shot because there was a good pick, or because there was bad defense, or because the guy's a good shooter? - it's very hard to isolate those things, so you need to blend (scouts and statistical analysis) a lot more, and traditional scouting is something (the Rockets) value highly."
Morey is also aware that while being seen as a new-school, number-crunching GM was vital to him getting the Rockets job, there are also challenges that can come with that kind of reputation.
"(As a young GM, there probably are) some feelings of, 'He's a kid and he hasn't paid his dues,' " admits Morey. "But I've found that as a group, the GM's in the league are extraordinarily smart and welcoming. It's a very small community, and even if you aren't a fan of whoever's running another team, it's in everyone's best interests to keep those relationships strong."
Morey's theory of keeping relationships strong was perhaps best put to the test when the Rockets showed interest in a player the rival Spurs held the rights to: talented Argentinean power forward Luis Scola. Morey felt the chances of San Antonio GM R.C. Buford cutting a deal with their intra-division - and intrastate - rivals were slim. But Buford said Houston had a shot at acquiring Scola and he stuck to his word.
"We felt like throughout (the Scola trade) was a bit of a long shot because both of our teams are reluctant to trade with each other within the division," says Morey. "But I give R.C. a lot of credit. He told me that we would have a shot at the (Scola) deal if we were the highest bidder, and we were."
Morey doesn't just credit Buford as being a fair man, however. When asked if there's one team that he'd like to model the Rockets after, the Rockets GM is quick to mention Buford and Gregg Popovich's Spurs as the franchise that best knows how to navigate the NBA's tricky talent landscape while also winning games.
"You can look at lots of teams getting a Tim Duncan-like player, like maybe Kevin Garnett in Minnesota, and the pieces don't form around him well," says Morey. "But I think that (Buford and Popovich) have done a tremendous job of taking a smart, methodical approach to maximizing the talent around Tim Duncan. I'm extraordinarily impressed by the Spurs and hopefully we can copy just a small piece of what they've been able to do."
In his effort to mimic San Antonio's success, Morey hasn't just gone after Spurs players like Scola and Jackie Butler, however. Similarly to the Spurs, Morey places a precedence on eschewing long-term deals for anyone other than a team's stars - in Houston's case, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming - and showing stern fiscal responsibility when it comes to signing complementary players.
"Teams that don't (manage the salary cap) well get hurt, especially with teams like New York and Dallas coming off, basically, (a period when they would take) any contract on and not worry about the luxury tax," says Morey. "With those homes sort of going away, it makes the discipline of managing to the cap more important. And the teams that do it well will be able to pick up extra players and picks."
Having cap flexibility to grab those "extra players" is precisely how Morey was able to improve his team's one weakness: at point guard. In fact, it could be argued that Morey was a bit over-zealous as he now has six point guards on the Houston roster: Rafer Alston, Aaron Brooks, Steve Francis, Mike James, John Lucas and Bob Sura. But Morey maintains there can be strength in numbers.
"(Mike James is) probably the best shooter of all of the guys we've got, which is obviously always at a premium," explained Morey. "Rafer's more of a pass-first, up-tempo guy, and probably the best team defender ... And then Steve's just the ultimate guy who can get to the hoop and cut and rebound."
In fact, maintaining team chemistry might be a bigger challenge for new coach Rick Adelman than figuring out the point-guard rotation. Alston has been arrested twice this summer, something that Morey has openly said he's troubled with. And Francis, whom Morey admits kind of fell into the Rockets' laps, has a reputation as a me-first player who needs the ball in his hands to succeed. Morey, however, thinks they have a new Francis (nee "Stevie Franchise") on their hands.
"In most of (Adelman's) systems, a guy who's going to succeed is a cutter," says Morey. "It's very difficult for the guards to dominate the ball, or whatever criticisms there have been with Steve in the past. I think to Steve's credit he's taking winning over money, and he's got a new attitude."
So with all of these moves, does Morey see the Rockets as contenders for the title next year? The answer: While Morey isn't so green as to make brash predictions for the Rockets, he is still young enough to be openly optimistic.
"We felt like we were a good team last year but there was still a gap between us and the Spurs and the Suns and the Mavericks, and we feel like this offseason we've closed the gap," answered Morey. "We feel like we're in the mix (for a title) and certainly not getting farther into the playoffs would be a big disappointment for us."
So where does a thirtysomething exec who makes such a big splash in his first offseason come from? Well, for Morey, in the same way that most players have the lifelong dream of someday going pro, he has always yearned for a career in sports.
"I was always huge into sports from a very young age; my honeymoon was at the Olympics," admits Morey. "I did leave that goal (of a career in sports) for a little while, because it's extraordinarily hard to get a job in sports. But eventually I got my shot when I helped the Celtics' eventual owners buy the team."
From there, Morey networked within NBA circles and got pulled into the Rockets' fold by longtime Rockets GM Carroll Dawson. Dawson took Morey under his wing and introduced him to a number of league execs before he propped him up in the driver's seat.
"I knew some people through the Celtics, but Carroll was in a different network than Danny (Ainge), and he was very gracious with (his introductions)," says Morey. "And I think often when you come into a new situation, like maybe Sam Presti in Seattle, you have to make moves quickly, because you want to make those moves before things settle in."
But as quickly as Morey has made a splash, he hopes to mimic Dawson's longevity.
"He was around 28 years. I hope I make it that far," says Morey, before laughing to himself in wonderment. "I've got a little while still."
Given how well things have gone for his team so far, Morey stands a good shot at sticking around long enough to shed that "new kid" label. But in the meantime, don't be surprised if the Rockets win a couple of games along the way.
http://sports.aol.com/story/_a/rocketing-to-the-top/20070910192909990001
Monday, August 20, 2007
NBA Players Working Out
Each video listed below shows an NBA player working out. The videos range from cardio and stretching to strength training.
Kobe Bryant is shown here lifting his upper body and working hard on his core.
Tracy McGrady works with his trainer to strengthen his body and improve his stamina.
Al Harrington trains by boxing in the offseason to improve his strength and conditioning.
Ben Gordon performs a group of basketball-specialized workouts.
Kobe Bryant is shown here lifting his upper body and working hard on his core.
Tracy McGrady works with his trainer to strengthen his body and improve his stamina.
Al Harrington trains by boxing in the offseason to improve his strength and conditioning.
Ben Gordon performs a group of basketball-specialized workouts.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Jeff Sargain's Work in the NBA
Ryan Corazza of the Indiana Daily Student, wrote a feature in February 2006 on Jeff Sargain. Sargain is a mathematician wo studies sports. Since 1985, he has been doing work on NCAA football and basketball. Sargain has also developed rating systems for other sports, including: boys' and girls' Indiana high school basketball, NASCAR, MLB, individual baseball players, men's and women's college golf, and MLS.
An excerpt from the article can be found here:
The story of Winval goes back to spring 2000, when Winston took his son, Gregory, an Indiana Pacers fan, to see the team play in Dallas during spring break. He ran into Cuban, a former student of his in the business school, in the stands and Cuban asked if there was any way Winston could help the team through mathematics. After Winston and Sagarin bounced ideas back and forth, they came up with Winval, short for "winning value."
Sagarin said Winval evaluates players based on the "rows" they play in during a basketball game. A row consists of a time frame a player participates in within a game -- his time on the court in between timeouts, a break at half time, or player substitutions during free throws. Play-by-play data is supplied to Winston and Sagarin by the Elias Sports Bureau."Each one of these rows is a little mini-game," Sagarin said. "A typical NBA game has about 30 rows."
Sagarin said during the first year of Winval, Cuban would be up at 2 or 3 in the morning e-mailing back and forth with him on specific features of the program.
"We've evolved towards a better routine," Sagarin said in regards to the duo's relationship with the Mavericks. "We understand what they want now and what's useful to them. We didn't know that when we started because they're coaches and we're math guys.""Jeff is your typical eccentric genius," Cuban said via e-mail. "He locks himself away for months at a time with no human contact just to come up with great formulas for evaluating sports. It's fun to work with him, and his stuff is amazing."
Currently, Winval rates Lebron James as the best overall player in the league, with Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Tracy McGrady and Andre Iguodala rounding out the top five. Although he ranks first offensively, Kobe Bryant ranks a surprising 27th in the overall category.
"A lot of people think Kobe Bryant is good defensively, but he's really not," Winston said. "When's he's in the game, they give up a lot of points, so that's why he isn't higher.
In addition to providing Cuban and the Mavericks coaching staff with Winval, Winston gives them scouting reports of opposing teams as well as which lineups and player combinations have worked best and worst for the Mavericks during the year. He can easily mix and match player names in Microsoft Excel to see point-margin differentials and ratings when a certain lineup is on the court.
The Seattle Supersonics and Toronto Raptors have both used Sagarin and Winston's services for a short period of time, but Winston says they would rather not help out another Western Conference team because it creates a conflict of interest with the Mavericks. The New Jersey Nets is one Eastern Conference team that has expressed interest in Winval. Winston added that both he and Sagarin would like to help out the IU basketball team, but because Big Ten stat sheets don't supply substitutions, the key ingredient to their system, they are unable to do so.
The article in its entirety can be found by going to:
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=33683
An excerpt from the article can be found here:
The story of Winval goes back to spring 2000, when Winston took his son, Gregory, an Indiana Pacers fan, to see the team play in Dallas during spring break. He ran into Cuban, a former student of his in the business school, in the stands and Cuban asked if there was any way Winston could help the team through mathematics. After Winston and Sagarin bounced ideas back and forth, they came up with Winval, short for "winning value."
Sagarin said Winval evaluates players based on the "rows" they play in during a basketball game. A row consists of a time frame a player participates in within a game -- his time on the court in between timeouts, a break at half time, or player substitutions during free throws. Play-by-play data is supplied to Winston and Sagarin by the Elias Sports Bureau."Each one of these rows is a little mini-game," Sagarin said. "A typical NBA game has about 30 rows."
Sagarin said during the first year of Winval, Cuban would be up at 2 or 3 in the morning e-mailing back and forth with him on specific features of the program.
"We've evolved towards a better routine," Sagarin said in regards to the duo's relationship with the Mavericks. "We understand what they want now and what's useful to them. We didn't know that when we started because they're coaches and we're math guys.""Jeff is your typical eccentric genius," Cuban said via e-mail. "He locks himself away for months at a time with no human contact just to come up with great formulas for evaluating sports. It's fun to work with him, and his stuff is amazing."
Currently, Winval rates Lebron James as the best overall player in the league, with Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Tracy McGrady and Andre Iguodala rounding out the top five. Although he ranks first offensively, Kobe Bryant ranks a surprising 27th in the overall category.
"A lot of people think Kobe Bryant is good defensively, but he's really not," Winston said. "When's he's in the game, they give up a lot of points, so that's why he isn't higher.
In addition to providing Cuban and the Mavericks coaching staff with Winval, Winston gives them scouting reports of opposing teams as well as which lineups and player combinations have worked best and worst for the Mavericks during the year. He can easily mix and match player names in Microsoft Excel to see point-margin differentials and ratings when a certain lineup is on the court.
The Seattle Supersonics and Toronto Raptors have both used Sagarin and Winston's services for a short period of time, but Winston says they would rather not help out another Western Conference team because it creates a conflict of interest with the Mavericks. The New Jersey Nets is one Eastern Conference team that has expressed interest in Winval. Winston added that both he and Sagarin would like to help out the IU basketball team, but because Big Ten stat sheets don't supply substitutions, the key ingredient to their system, they are unable to do so.
The article in its entirety can be found by going to:
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=33683
Monday, July 23, 2007
Lewis Joins the List of Maximum Contract Players
On July 11, Rashard Lewis signed a six-year contract worth more than $110,000,000 with the Orlando Magic. By doing so, he became the twenty-second player currently making maximum money. Here is the full, up-to-date list in order of team they currently play with:
Joe Johnson, Atlanta
Paul Pierce, Boston
LeBron James, Cleveland
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
Carmelo Anthony, Denver
Allen Iverson, Denver
Baron Davis, Golden State
Tracy McGrady, Houston
Jermaine O’Neal, Indiana
Elton Brand, L.A. Clippers
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
Shaquille O’Neal, Miami
Dwyane Wade, Miami
Michael Redd, Milwaukee
Kevin Garnett, Minnesota
Jason Kidd, New Jersey
Stephon Marbury, New York
Rashard Lewis, Orlando
Shawn Marion, Phoenix
Tim Duncan, San Antonio
Chris Bosh, Toronto
Antawn Jamison, Washington
Joe Johnson, Atlanta
Paul Pierce, Boston
LeBron James, Cleveland
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
Carmelo Anthony, Denver
Allen Iverson, Denver
Baron Davis, Golden State
Tracy McGrady, Houston
Jermaine O’Neal, Indiana
Elton Brand, L.A. Clippers
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
Shaquille O’Neal, Miami
Dwyane Wade, Miami
Michael Redd, Milwaukee
Kevin Garnett, Minnesota
Jason Kidd, New Jersey
Stephon Marbury, New York
Rashard Lewis, Orlando
Shawn Marion, Phoenix
Tim Duncan, San Antonio
Chris Bosh, Toronto
Antawn Jamison, Washington
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Daryl Morey and the Rockets Keeping Busy
On April 3, 2006, the Houston Rockets named Darryl Morey their assistant general manager. The Rockets planned on Morey eventually taking over the general manager position for the start of the 2007-08 season. Since taking over the job full-time, the Rockets have a great deal of depth and should get past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 1996-97. Since last season, the Rockets have added Mike James, Aaron Brooks, Jackie Butler, Luis Scola, and Carl Landry. Each one of these players adds much-needed depth and the Rockets should be as deep as any other team this season.
James was acquired from Minnesota in the trade that allowed Morey to get out from under Juwan Howard’s contract. James enjoyed success with the Rockets previously when he played 27 games and averaged 12.4 points per game, 2.9 assists per game, and 3.1 rebounds per game. James is a combo guard, who is in a point guard's body, but certainly has a scorers mentality. He is an above average defender who moves his feet well and can pressure the ball. Although he is not the greatest distributor, he has seen success playing both guard spots. He will compete to be the starting point guard and also grab minutes behind Tracy McGrady at the shooting guard spot. Justin Reed was also acquired by the Rockets in this trade and should make the roster out of summer camp.
Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry were picked up during last month's draft. Brooks is a Morey-favorite, who may become the starting point guard in the near-future. Brooks is an undersized guard with great quickness and strong ball-handling abilties. He is an excellent free throw shooter and possesses good fundamentals and a high basketball IQ. He sometimes can be single-minded on the court, but I think the Rockets believe that will change when he enters the league. Landry is an undersized power forward who has great mobility on the court. His post footwork, shooting touch, and soft hands enable him to convert most opportunities in the paint. Head coach, Rick Adelman, will most likely not give Landry many minutes this season, but he could be a factor down the road.
The real steal of the offseason was Morey's acquisition of Scola and Butler. When the Rockets knew that they weren’t going to be able to acquire Rashard Lewis, Morey had the foresight to think outside-the-box. Rather than overpaying veterans like Anderson Varejo, Chris Mihm, or Joe Smith, Morey looked to bring in someone who could provide greater upside. Morey described the addition of Scola by saying, "We saw him as one of, if not the, best option. He's a bit unique. He uses his body to finish around the basket. He's got a midrange game and a great IQ for the passing game. He has a lot of heart. That group of Argentinians he grew up with is as tough as nails and knows how to fit into teams. They're winners. As excited as I am about acquiring him, I don't think I've ever spoken to anyone more excited than he is. This has been a dream of his."
Scola should compete for the starting power forward job with Chuck Hayes and possibly even Shane Battier. Whether he starts or not, Scola will be a very valuable player for the Rockets this season next to center Yao Ming.
Butler was also a nice addition in the trade that also brought Scola to the Rockets. Butler is a developing post player, who is still young and inexperienced. Butler will most likely not see many minutes this year, but should play a key role once backup Dikembe Mutombo retires after this season. The Rockets added Scola and Butler to the team through a cost-cutting trade with the San Antonio Spurs. The Rockets gave up guard Vassilis Spanoulis and a 2009 second round pick in the trade.
At this point, the Rockets will have Rafer Alston, Mike James, and Aaron Brooks at the point guard spot; Tracy McGrady and Luther Head at the shooting guard position; Yao Ming, Dikembe Mutombo, and Jackie Butler will be the centers; Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes should compete to be the starting power forward with Carl Landry backing them up; and Shane Battier as the starting small forward with Justin Reed playing behind him.
The wildcard here is Bonzi Wells. If Wells is in shape, motivated, and willing to not be a distraction, he could be a huge part of the Rockets team this year. Wells will be reunited with his former coach, Adelman. Adelman coached Wells during arguably his most productive season in 2005-06, when he averaged 23.2 points per game and 12 rebounds per game in the playoffs and a steady regular season.
Wells is tough and relentless and could play both the shooting guard and small forward spots. He excels in the playoffs and when he is at his best, he is one of the toughest players in the league to guard. Wells’ prescense would allow Adelman to play both a slower lineup with Yao Ming and Chuck Hayes or a quick lineup which would include McGrady, Wells, Battier, and Scola. Wells has one year left on his contract at $2,284,200 and if he comes into camp with a positive attitude, Adelman and the Rockets will be happy to have him. If not, the Rockets will release him or buy him out of his contract.
Either way, in a very short time, Morey has shown that he is ready to take the reigns and lead the Houston Rockets. With Rick Adelman installed as head coach and a series of other transactions already made this summer, the Rockets are expected to make it past the first round for the first time in Tracy McGrady’s career.
James was acquired from Minnesota in the trade that allowed Morey to get out from under Juwan Howard’s contract. James enjoyed success with the Rockets previously when he played 27 games and averaged 12.4 points per game, 2.9 assists per game, and 3.1 rebounds per game. James is a combo guard, who is in a point guard's body, but certainly has a scorers mentality. He is an above average defender who moves his feet well and can pressure the ball. Although he is not the greatest distributor, he has seen success playing both guard spots. He will compete to be the starting point guard and also grab minutes behind Tracy McGrady at the shooting guard spot. Justin Reed was also acquired by the Rockets in this trade and should make the roster out of summer camp.
Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry were picked up during last month's draft. Brooks is a Morey-favorite, who may become the starting point guard in the near-future. Brooks is an undersized guard with great quickness and strong ball-handling abilties. He is an excellent free throw shooter and possesses good fundamentals and a high basketball IQ. He sometimes can be single-minded on the court, but I think the Rockets believe that will change when he enters the league. Landry is an undersized power forward who has great mobility on the court. His post footwork, shooting touch, and soft hands enable him to convert most opportunities in the paint. Head coach, Rick Adelman, will most likely not give Landry many minutes this season, but he could be a factor down the road.
The real steal of the offseason was Morey's acquisition of Scola and Butler. When the Rockets knew that they weren’t going to be able to acquire Rashard Lewis, Morey had the foresight to think outside-the-box. Rather than overpaying veterans like Anderson Varejo, Chris Mihm, or Joe Smith, Morey looked to bring in someone who could provide greater upside. Morey described the addition of Scola by saying, "We saw him as one of, if not the, best option. He's a bit unique. He uses his body to finish around the basket. He's got a midrange game and a great IQ for the passing game. He has a lot of heart. That group of Argentinians he grew up with is as tough as nails and knows how to fit into teams. They're winners. As excited as I am about acquiring him, I don't think I've ever spoken to anyone more excited than he is. This has been a dream of his."
Scola should compete for the starting power forward job with Chuck Hayes and possibly even Shane Battier. Whether he starts or not, Scola will be a very valuable player for the Rockets this season next to center Yao Ming.
Butler was also a nice addition in the trade that also brought Scola to the Rockets. Butler is a developing post player, who is still young and inexperienced. Butler will most likely not see many minutes this year, but should play a key role once backup Dikembe Mutombo retires after this season. The Rockets added Scola and Butler to the team through a cost-cutting trade with the San Antonio Spurs. The Rockets gave up guard Vassilis Spanoulis and a 2009 second round pick in the trade.
At this point, the Rockets will have Rafer Alston, Mike James, and Aaron Brooks at the point guard spot; Tracy McGrady and Luther Head at the shooting guard position; Yao Ming, Dikembe Mutombo, and Jackie Butler will be the centers; Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes should compete to be the starting power forward with Carl Landry backing them up; and Shane Battier as the starting small forward with Justin Reed playing behind him.
The wildcard here is Bonzi Wells. If Wells is in shape, motivated, and willing to not be a distraction, he could be a huge part of the Rockets team this year. Wells will be reunited with his former coach, Adelman. Adelman coached Wells during arguably his most productive season in 2005-06, when he averaged 23.2 points per game and 12 rebounds per game in the playoffs and a steady regular season.
Wells is tough and relentless and could play both the shooting guard and small forward spots. He excels in the playoffs and when he is at his best, he is one of the toughest players in the league to guard. Wells’ prescense would allow Adelman to play both a slower lineup with Yao Ming and Chuck Hayes or a quick lineup which would include McGrady, Wells, Battier, and Scola. Wells has one year left on his contract at $2,284,200 and if he comes into camp with a positive attitude, Adelman and the Rockets will be happy to have him. If not, the Rockets will release him or buy him out of his contract.
Either way, in a very short time, Morey has shown that he is ready to take the reigns and lead the Houston Rockets. With Rick Adelman installed as head coach and a series of other transactions already made this summer, the Rockets are expected to make it past the first round for the first time in Tracy McGrady’s career.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Remaking the Orlando Magic
(Originally written on October 13, 2006)
In just three seasons, the Orlando Magic have gone from a team trying to recover after the Tracy McGrady failure, to an organization with young stars and a bright future. Since the start of the 2004-05 season, only five players remain on the roster. The centerpiece of this rebuilding process was their February 23 deadline deal with the New York Knicks. The Magic traded three-time All-Star, Steve Francis, to the Knicks for Trevor Ariza and Penny Hardaway. Hardaway, a free agent at seasons end, was released shortly after the trade was completed. Let’s take a look at their roster at the end of the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, in comparison to today’s roster:
2004-05 Roster
Steve Francis – 12.3
Tony Battie – 4.8
Kelvin Cato – 7.9
Doug Christie – 7.6 (waived after the season; amnesty clause)
Andrew DeClercq – 2.5
Pat Garrity – 2.9
Grant Hill – 14.5
Dwight Howard – 4.2
Stacey Augmon – 1.1
Jameer Nelson – 1.1
Deshawn Stevenson – 2.5
Hedo Turkoglu – 4.9
2005-06 Roster
Trevor Ariza – 700k
Tony Battie – 5.2
Darko Milicic – 4.1
Carlos Arroyo – 4.0
Doug Christie – 8.2 (not on roster, but salary counts towards the cap)
Keyon Dooling – 3.1
Pat Garrity – 3.2
Grant Hill – 15.7
Dwight Howard – 4.5
Stacey Augmon – 1.4
Jameer Nelson – 1.2
Bo Outlaw – 1.1
Deshawn Stevenson – 2.8
Hedo Turkoglu – 5.4
Travis Diener – 400k
Penny Hardaway – 15.8(free agent at the end of season; waived after the trade was made)
2006-07 Roster
J.J. Redick – 1.9
Grant Hill – 16.9 (free agent after this season)
Dwight Howard - 4.8
Keyon Dooling – 3.3 (player option after this season, f/a after next)
Darko Milicic – 5.2 (restricted f/a after this season)
Trevor Ariza – 2.5
Carlos Arroyo – 4.0 (4.0 in 07-08, f/a in 08-09)
Keith Bogans – 2.5
Travis Diener – 700k (f/a after this season)
Pat Garrity – 3.5 (f/a after this season)
Jameer Nelson – 1.3
Bo Outlaw – 1.2 (f/a after this season)
Hedo Turkoglu – 5.9
Salary Analysis
At season’s end, the Magic will be looking at over twenty million dollars in cap room, when Grant Hill (16.9), Travis Diener (700k), Pat Garrity (3.5), and Bo Outlaw (1.2) come off the books. It is likely to assume that Keyon Dooling will exercise his $3,596,000 option to stay with the team. The Magic will also have to make a decision on whether or not to let Darko Milicic sign with another team, resign him to a large extension, or simply agree to a one year deal worth $6,810,302. It is too early at this time to guess what Milicic's asking price will be. His performance and improvement this year could determine if he is able to get major money like Samuel Dalembert, Tyson Chandler, and Nene Hilario received in their latest contracts. Either way, the Magic will have a great deal of cap room available at the end of the season. They will have the flexibility to trade for a large salary player or sign a potential free agent, such as Vince Carter or Rashard Lewis. On the surface, the teams great positions of need are a scorer at the wing and another big man next to Dwight Howard.
Outlook
Through the 2008-09 season, the Magic core of J.J. Redick, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Jameer Nelson, and Hedo Turkoglu are all locked into deals. These guys will be able to continue to develop together and should be a force in the Eastern Conference’s Southeast division. Orlando’s 17-12 record after the Steve Francis trade should be a sign of things to come.
In just three seasons, the Orlando Magic have gone from a team trying to recover after the Tracy McGrady failure, to an organization with young stars and a bright future. Since the start of the 2004-05 season, only five players remain on the roster. The centerpiece of this rebuilding process was their February 23 deadline deal with the New York Knicks. The Magic traded three-time All-Star, Steve Francis, to the Knicks for Trevor Ariza and Penny Hardaway. Hardaway, a free agent at seasons end, was released shortly after the trade was completed. Let’s take a look at their roster at the end of the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, in comparison to today’s roster:
2004-05 Roster
Steve Francis – 12.3
Tony Battie – 4.8
Kelvin Cato – 7.9
Doug Christie – 7.6 (waived after the season; amnesty clause)
Andrew DeClercq – 2.5
Pat Garrity – 2.9
Grant Hill – 14.5
Dwight Howard – 4.2
Stacey Augmon – 1.1
Jameer Nelson – 1.1
Deshawn Stevenson – 2.5
Hedo Turkoglu – 4.9
2005-06 Roster
Trevor Ariza – 700k
Tony Battie – 5.2
Darko Milicic – 4.1
Carlos Arroyo – 4.0
Doug Christie – 8.2 (not on roster, but salary counts towards the cap)
Keyon Dooling – 3.1
Pat Garrity – 3.2
Grant Hill – 15.7
Dwight Howard – 4.5
Stacey Augmon – 1.4
Jameer Nelson – 1.2
Bo Outlaw – 1.1
Deshawn Stevenson – 2.8
Hedo Turkoglu – 5.4
Travis Diener – 400k
Penny Hardaway – 15.8(free agent at the end of season; waived after the trade was made)
2006-07 Roster
J.J. Redick – 1.9
Grant Hill – 16.9 (free agent after this season)
Dwight Howard - 4.8
Keyon Dooling – 3.3 (player option after this season, f/a after next)
Darko Milicic – 5.2 (restricted f/a after this season)
Trevor Ariza – 2.5
Carlos Arroyo – 4.0 (4.0 in 07-08, f/a in 08-09)
Keith Bogans – 2.5
Travis Diener – 700k (f/a after this season)
Pat Garrity – 3.5 (f/a after this season)
Jameer Nelson – 1.3
Bo Outlaw – 1.2 (f/a after this season)
Hedo Turkoglu – 5.9
Salary Analysis
At season’s end, the Magic will be looking at over twenty million dollars in cap room, when Grant Hill (16.9), Travis Diener (700k), Pat Garrity (3.5), and Bo Outlaw (1.2) come off the books. It is likely to assume that Keyon Dooling will exercise his $3,596,000 option to stay with the team. The Magic will also have to make a decision on whether or not to let Darko Milicic sign with another team, resign him to a large extension, or simply agree to a one year deal worth $6,810,302. It is too early at this time to guess what Milicic's asking price will be. His performance and improvement this year could determine if he is able to get major money like Samuel Dalembert, Tyson Chandler, and Nene Hilario received in their latest contracts. Either way, the Magic will have a great deal of cap room available at the end of the season. They will have the flexibility to trade for a large salary player or sign a potential free agent, such as Vince Carter or Rashard Lewis. On the surface, the teams great positions of need are a scorer at the wing and another big man next to Dwight Howard.
Outlook
Through the 2008-09 season, the Magic core of J.J. Redick, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Jameer Nelson, and Hedo Turkoglu are all locked into deals. These guys will be able to continue to develop together and should be a force in the Eastern Conference’s Southeast division. Orlando’s 17-12 record after the Steve Francis trade should be a sign of things to come.
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