Morey is very active, whether it be with small in-season deals or big moves like trading for James HardenNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
The Rockets yesterday signed GM Daryl Morey to a five-year contract extension, and the move is a "smart one" for Owner Tilman Fertitta, according to Jenny Dial Creech of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Morey "doesn't have a championship yet, but he demands attention due to his body of work." From "big, bold moves" like trading for Gs James Harden and Chris Paul, to "small in-season moves ... Morey is always doing something." He is "unapologetically chasing" the Warriors to "build the best team in the NBA." As a result of his constant moves, the Rockets are a "team people watch all offseason," which "matters in merchandise sales and ticket sales." It also "matters in getting national television spots and prime-time billing," which is "good for the franchise and the city." Locking Morey up for the next five years is a "solid decision that keeps the Rockets in the mix for the foreseeable future" (HOUSTONCHRONICLE.com, 3/13). In Houston, Brian Smith wrote by giving Morey a new deal, Fertitta "ensures stability at the top entering another offseason of major change." Fertitta now "ensures Toyota Center will remain a national landing spot." Morey may have "badly misfired last offseason" by bringing in F Carmelo Anthony and "ill-fitting secondary pieces." However, from a "championship perspective, the Rockets are still in the immediate picture" (HOUSTONCHRONICLE.com, 3/13). ESPN’s Byron Scott said Morey “deserves” the extension, as he is “one of the best GMs in the league.” ESPN’s Mark Jones did not give terms but noted it was a “lucrative extension” (“Nets-Thunder,” ESPN, 3/13).
