Hot Tub Time Machine GM
The Houston Rockets' signing of Brad Miller would have been a brilliant move ...in 2003
Brad Miller isn't the center he used to be.
Has Rockets general manager Daryl Morey been watching too much ...
Hot Tub Time Machine inbetween ...
Michael Buble concerts.Photo by Ben Watts
Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey — who panned the Michael Buble concert that his wife dragged him to Friday night on Twitter — must be more of a fan of the movie Hot Tub Time Machine.
For that type of implausible leaping-backwards-through-the-vortex scenario is what it would take to truly be excited about signing free-agent center Brad Miller to three-year, $15-million deal. After striking out with Chris Bosh (when he should have been concentrating on Dwyane Wade from the start, the only way to really break up that now Miami Heat-trio) Morey turned to Miller as the big addition.
Which would be great if the year was 2003. Or maybe even 2005. But it's 2010 and Miller is an ever-slower 7-footer who averaged 4.9 rebounds per game last season.
Brad Miller used to be one of the more versatile centers in the NBA. Playing almost point center at times, Miller was a huge part of a highly-entertaining Sacramento King team that won 55 games in the 2003-04 season. Miller came in toward the end of the Kings' great run that centered around Mike Bibby, Chris Webber and Peja Stojakovic and should have resulted in at least one NBA Championship (if there was any justice or legitimate officiating in the NBA). Still, his addition helped give the Kings a few more years of near-elite life.
You couldn't help but root for those Kings teams (Rick Adelman's Sacramento squads don't get the seven-seconds-or-less hype credit that Mike D'Antoni's Phoenix Suns teams do for re-livening up the NBA, but they should.) You can't help but expect this move to underdeliver though.
Sure, Miller reunites with his favorite coach, Adelman, but coaches age better in the NBA than players. Miller isn't close to the same player that Adelman had in Sacramento. With Yao Ming still the biggest elite-player question mark in the NBA, the Rockets' backup center is also forevermore one of the most important positions on the team.
The only word that can be used to describe an offseason that's brought the resigning of power forward Luis Scola and backup point guard Kyle Lowry — and now, the addition of Miller — is underwhelming. If Michael Buble knew anything about basketball, he wouldn't be blown away by Morey's work lately either.
