HoopsHype.com Rumors

Daryl Morey: Would be awesome 2have @yaoming back but no chance RT @GoU_NU878 Any chance we see Yao make a comeback and play with @JLin7 and @JHarden13 Twitter @dmorey

Houston Rockets, Free Agency, Yao Ming, Daryl Morey 

Daryl Morey: Strategic choice we felt had 2take 2increase R chance 2add star.He is playing well-happy 4him MT @ibnabeeomar do you regret amnestying scola Twitter @dmorey

Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Daryl Morey, Luis Scola 

Daryl Morey: Very happy w/@JLin7 & he keeps getting better-very active in practice 2day MT @sidmufc How happy are you with Jeremy Lin's production so far Twitter @dmorey

Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey, Jeremy Lin 

Daryl Morey: We pursued @AsikOmer just 4his defense+reb alone but also liked his screening MT @noamschiller Did U bring in Asik with high screens in mind Twitter @dmorey

Houston Rockets, Omer Asik, Daryl Morey 

Daryl Morey: Happy we won-high 5ved an agent MT @tacoman245 how excited were U when @JHarden13 played well in 1st gm? Did U break out into gangnam style? Twitter @dmorey

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Trade, Daryl Morey, James Harden 

Daryl Morey on using the word amazing to describe James Harden: “I was stunned. If he could do that every night then we will be fine but that’s expecting a lot. Just like a lot of these things, we do our best to forecast these things but obviously he was way better than we could’ve thought. Just one game, we have to keep it up, but he looks like the guy we want to build around like we thought.” Sports Radio Interviews

Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey, James Harden 

Rockets GM Daryl Morey said the trade for James Harden on Saturday will only help the Rockets become a team that other star players want to play for. “People around the league say, ‘I want to play with that guy,’ ” Morey said as Harden was introduced to Rockets fans today. “The way Omer (Asik) is playing and passing the ball, people want to be with him. Jeremy. Really putting together a young core that will make others say ‘I want to play there.’ “ Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey, James Harden 

For months, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey called on Oklahoma City's Sam Presti, probing him with a simple question: Want to discuss a deal for James Harden yet? Over and over, the response had been an unwavering no. The Thunder wanted to sign Harden to a contract extension, hold together their young core and try to win championships for years and years. Yahoo! Sports

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Trade, Sam Presti, Daryl Morey, James Harden 

Jonathan Feigen: Daryl Morey: “James is the foundational, franchise type player we have been seeking the past few seasons.” Twitter @Jonathan_Feigen

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Trade, Daryl Morey, James Harden 

Jonathan Feigen: More Morey: "He makes us better from day one and will play a big part in helping get us back to a championship level" Twitter @Jonathan_Feigen

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Trade, Daryl Morey, James Harden 

Omer Asik has been as good as advertised, but is there some concern about his foul trouble and the fact that this team needs him on the floor. Is he going to have to be more selective about the shots that he attacks?: Daryl Morey: “He actually hasn’t been a super high-foul-rate guy even in Chicago, and in Chicago they were asking him to foul out a bit. [Wednesday] he fouled out and that will be something that, given, I agree with you, our defense does struggle with him off the floor. … Our half-court D has been the best in the league when Asik’s been on the floor so far this preseason. … I’m not actually too concerned about his foul rate. He’s very smart. He’s a very smart defender; he doesn’t gamble defensively.” Sports Radio Interviews

Houston Rockets, Omer Asik, Daryl Morey 

The Rockets were clearly displeased to have one of their rookies choose not to attend training camp. Asked if White’s absence should be considered excused, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey paused for 10 seconds and said, “I think no comment.” Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Kevin McHale, Daryl Morey, Royce White 

Morey also would not comment when asked when White would be with the team. Asked how he felt about not having White in camp, Morey again considered his answer carefully before saying only, “Obviously, it’s always better to be here than not.” After the Rockets’ second practice Tuesday, Morey issued a statement: “We are committed to Royce’s long-term success, and we will continue to support him now and going forward.” Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey, Royce White 

The Houston Rockets became the first team to develop the hybrid model of D-League affiliation, in which they have a dedicated relationship with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Rockets GM Daryl Morey and his staff have total control of all basketball operations for the Vipers, but business-side operations remain the domain of the Rio Grande-based ownership of the Vipers. "You learn about players, learn about coaches and try new ideas," Morey says. "When we looked at the hybrid model, it gave you upside without any of the downside. The minor league team is way more knowledgeable about their market than we are." That trend will continue, especially given the cost-benefit ratio. When the Celtics announced a single-affiliate relationship with the Maine Red Claws this season, it was reported the overhead will cost Boston around $220,000, or about half the minimum salary of a second-round draft pick. "We have several other NBA teams interested," Reed says, referring to the trend towards single affiliation. ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Draft, Daryl Morey, D-League, Dan Reed 

Daryl Morey: Houston is a huge asset in helping us in free agency (weather, income tax, large city, etc...). We are not the top destination city in the NBA but we are near the top. The reality is only a extremely small number of the top 10-20 players change each off-season (sometimes zero) and they also rarely change via free agency (vs trade) so the number of chances is extremely small and when those chances come up the number of potential destinations is very numerous. Long way of saying that the odds are stacked against every team and we just have not overcome those long odds. Has nothing to do with Houston. reddit

Houston Rockets, Free Agency, Trade, Daryl Morey 

Daryl Morey: Being an extremely crappy team is definitely a well worn path to success in the NBA. Each year, the NBA hands the most valuable asset in the game (a scale wage top 5 pick) and hands it to the most mismanaged teams. We could go with this approach (in fact the Rockets invented it long ago) but we think our approach can succeed as well and can succeed faster even though it is more difficult. reddit

Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey 

Daryl Morey: Lin played at an all-star level last year. Even if he does not maintain that level (likely), both he and Asik increase our flexibility and get us closer to our goals. I also like that Lin has already played for a small yet not insignificant stretch at an all-star level. This increases his odds -- up and down the roster that is the primary thing we are trying to do -- increase our odds of developing or acquiring an all-star level player. reddit

Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey 

Would Bill Simmons actually make a good NBA GM? Daryl Morey: I think he would make a good GM. He really knows the game. He obviously is a friend so take my opinion for what you will but I have found his knowledge of the game to be very high over the many years we have known each other. The only time I think he would struggle is handling owner input as he is very independent minded (which has made him successful in everything he has done). reddit

Houston Rockets, Media, Daryl Morey, Bill Simmons 

Daryl Morey: (Yao is) a great person which people always say but actually true in this case. I think the quality he has as a person that many don't know about is that he is extremely funny. He was by far the funniest person in the locker room. Most jokes I cannot print there is one time I remember I can talk about. During the pre-season required drug testing, all the players were lined up to pee in a cup and Yao Ming looking to all of them and said, "why am I the only one not nervous"? reddit

Houston Rockets, Yao Ming, Daryl Morey 

When Dikembe Mutumbo would speak to you, would you sometimes just nod and say yes? Daryl Morey: Yes. And then I would ask him to follow up with a txt of what he wants on one of the 4 cell phones he always carried. reddit

Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey, Dikembe Mutombo