Rockets need for change provides an ironic look into the Daryl Morey days

As the playoffs go on, it gives insight into what needs to happen next for the Houston Rockets. When looking at teams like the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder, they are the standard, so it falls on Houston to find the talent to match them. The real question lies with Rafael Stone: Will he be able to make moves to improve this unit in Houston? Ironically enough, with someone like Daryl Morey recently being fired, it is easy to think back to how Houston wasn't afraid to take a swing at talent while Morey was the general manager in Houston from 2007 to 2020.

Morey's big moves shaped some of the best days of the franchise

When Morey traded for James Harden, those in the league were astonished by the move, with so many surprised that the Thunder let it happen (especially after a Finals appearance in 2012). Having Harden in Houston opened so many other doors, like the eventual signing of Dwight Howard. It is easy to look back and not have the most positive spin on the signing, but at the time, it showed that Houston could be an attractive landing spot for free agents. With Howard gone, almost a year later, Houston pulled off a trade for Chris Paul in what was a similar great value trade like Harden.

Paul’s time in Houston wasn’t long, but it certainly had an impact. The 2017-18 Rockets were on the cusp of a Finals berth, but after injuries and bad, inconsistent play, it was gone. Since then till now, despite some okay seasons and some bad, Houston hasn’t matched the success they found that year. After Morey was gone in 2020, that style of getting big names left with him -up until last off-season's trade for Kevin Durant.

Where does Houston go from here?

This is part of what makes Houston’s upcoming off-season so important to the future of the franchise. I’m not saying the team should fire Stone and bring in Morey, but they certainly need to make roster changes. Star talent is not always as advertised. We have seen teams constantly leverage their future for talent, only for it not to pan out. The answer may not be clear as of today, but we will see as time plays out.

The Rockets need to be careful about any big moves they make; mortgaging their future is only worthwhile if they can contend with the best teams in the league. One thing Morey did well during his time in Houston was know when the Rockets should take a big swing and when they should be more careful.

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