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Tag Archive - Joey Dorsey

D-League: The Science Of Siloing Development

February 3, 2010 in by with 0 Comments

But while it never hurts players to be able to make more positive contributions in different ways on the court, it’s important not to fall into the trap of believing that players who are in the D-League need to completely remake themselves or add attributes that really aren’t within their means in order to be considered a viable option for the next level.

Dorsey’s case is perfect evidence of that. Rockets GM Daryl Morey made it quite clear just how concerned the big-league team was about Dorsey adding finesse elements to his game: not very.

“We want him to do the things that he’s going to have to do well at the NBA level,” More said. “We’re never looking for him to shoot a mid-range shot or have any post moves. That’s not something we see him doing at the NBA level. Obviously, we work on those things and want him to improve, but that’s not the focus. The focus is on doing the things he needs to do to get in the rotation in the NBA.”

via D-LeagueDigest.

It’s got to be frustrating being told to completely abandon concepts in your game that you’d worked so hard to build. You found that you had a shooter’s touch, so you endeavored to build range, only to find that every time you’re making an offensive move that doesn’t require your butt slamming into the other guy’s stomach, you’re not “getting it.”

But even the targeted things aren’t always enough. It’s easy to say rebounding is the secret to making it into the league, but then you look at some of the top rebounders for multiple years having never been touched. The lesson we’re learning is that development is a touchy subject and there really is no sure path. A team can put you on a long-term development plan and then stumble their way into a draft pick that ends up making more of an impact than expected. Small consolation for those anxiously awaiting the big payday, but at least such talk is within range; a few years ago, there was no point in getting your hopes up.

NBA Trade Deadline: Rockets and Wizards Talk Swapping Messes On The Kitchen Floor

February 2, 2010 in by with 6 Comments

Sources told ESPN.com that the Rockets have indeed expressed an interest in Wizards forward Caron Butler and center Brendan Haywood. But for a Wizards-Rockets deal to go through, Washington would almost certainly try to hold out for at least one of Houston’s rotation players, such as Luis Scola, in addition to McGrady.

The Rockets, though, are determined to keep the core of a roster that has unexpectedly managed this season without McGrady and the injured Yao Ming. Houston is thus believed to be offering Washington only the payroll relief that would come with McGrady’s contract.

The Rockets, sources say, have made it clear that they are willing to surrender McGrady’s $22.5 million contract before the deadline if they can get quality talent in return, but they also have the option of simply keeping McGrady for the rest of the season and letting his contract expire to gain payroll flexibility for an offseason retooling.

via Sources: Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets still talking Tracy McGrady trade – ESPN.

I remember a time where if you said Caron Butler was available and the returning player wasn’t a top flight superstar, you had to restrain yourself from spitting “Yes!” excitedly like a high school girl thrilled to go to prom with the neatest of the neato.

Or as I like to call it, two years ago.

Now? Scola? No dice. Can’t have him. Scola may not be Landry (as opposed to last year, where you said “Landry may not be Scola” but he’s just as much  a component of the Rox’ success, if not moreso because of his overall impact. Scrapping him is giving up far too much when you get so much off the books to seek a versatile wing. Those aren’t hard to find. Hard-nosed Argentinian swinghammers and oodles and oodles of cap space? That’s a much more valuable commodity.

But if the Wiz will accept a true rebuilding package, say McGrady, two off-in-the-distance picks and rights to Joey Dorsey, they should take it. That first trigger push on detonation is the hardest, but it’s better to commit to it, hard and steady, than waver, leaving yourself unsure of what to do, like trying to figure out which crappy monopoly piece to sell to your opponent just to try and stay afloat. The answer is liquidate and go play a game that doesn’t suck.

I’m inclined to believe Morey will hold on to the cap space. After all the big names are settled, LeBron, Wade, Amar’e, there are still going to be tons of players available. And those guys will have their value diminished as ‘disappointing’ signings compared to the bigs. Those are the guys Morey can bank on. Find the diamonds in the rough, swing for a slam dunk draft pick, and then have so many good players you won’t know what to do with them all. His belief in superstars may be the same, but it’s better to wait for the superstar to come than to try and invent one by overpaying in trades or free agency. Stars aren’t tricks of the imagination, they’re brilliant unto themselves.