Ever the class act, Daryl Morey thanked James Harden, the city of Houston and the Rockets organization with a full-page newspaper ad.
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Morey stepped down from his post as the Houston Rockets’ General Manager quite recently. The 48-year-old was criticized for trading Chris Paul away for Russell Westbrook, though this was an ownership-influenced decision.
Morey was universally regarded as one of the best GMs across the NBA during his tenure. He made a number of signings to consolidate the team in the mid-2010s.
The newspaper ad released by Morey thanking James Harden and the Rockets
Morey was deeply grateful to Harden while thanking him in the ad.
He emphasised on how Harden had transformed the game of basketball(by introducing the step-back 3) and how he had impacted Morey’s life in general.
The ad also thanked the Rockets organisation, who had given him so much love all through his career.
“James Harden changed my life. An entire page could be dedicated to James. He not only transformed my life but he also revolutionized the game of basketball – and continues to do so – like almost no one has before. The game is played differently because of James…”
Under Morey, the Rockets ushered in the 3-point explosion that has affected the play of teams across the NBA. Morey was of the belief that long 2-pointers should be replaced by 3-pointers to give teams a better points-per-possession rating.
As a consequence, the offensive rating of teams across the league saw an upturn. They became more and more obsessed with drafting and signing 3-and-D players. Centers began moving out to the perimeter on offense.
Overall, the game has become more open for everyone, resulting in more layups and 3-pointers for everyone. The death of the mid-range will forever be Daryl Morey’s legacy as a basketball GM.
