Report: Rockets 'Fully Intend' to Keep Daryl Morey After 2019-20
It's unlikely the Rockets overhaul their roster in the offseason one year after acquiring Russell Westbrook, but Houston may not see the same stability with regards to staff and management. Head coach Mike D'Antoni is now a free agent after four years with the franchise, and there's been speculation regarding the future of general manager Daryl Morey. D'Antoni's status is uncertain, and there could be numerous suitors for his services. As for Morey, he looks to be a fixture in Houston for years to come.
"There has been widespread speculation throughout the league that [owner Tilman] Fertitta would want to also move on from Morey this offseason," ESPN's Tim MacMahon wrote on Saturday. "High-ranking Rockets sources dismiss those rumors, saying that Fertitta fully intends to keep Morey."
Morey has redefined the Rockets in his 13-year tenure as general manager. He pulled off a trade for James Harden before the 2012-13 season, kicking off perhaps the best extended stretch in franchise history. Morey made another superstar splash in July 2019 as he acquired Russell Westbrook in a blockbuster deal with the Thunder. Morey hasn't been afraid to be bold in his time with Houston. It's hard to argue with the results more than a decade into his tenure.
2019-20 may have been the most consequential year of Morey's time with the Rockets. Not only did Houston's general manager acquire Westbrook, he also dealt center Clint Capela to Atlanta in February. Forward Robert Covington joined the Rockets in the Capela deal, kickstarting Houston's small-ball revolution. The success of Morey's moves can be debated. The impact can not. He's set the course of the franchise entering the next decade, and tweaks to the roster are likely to be on the horizon in this offseason and subsequent years.
Morey returned the Rockets to relevance with his acquisition of Harden. He raised their ceiling by trading for Westbrook. It could take another marquee move to finally return Houston to the Finals.
