Beyond the Boxscore
Lucky lottery for Houston Rockets: Trash talking Marcus Morris a steal at 14;plus in like Flynn
The last pick in the lottery is a sentence of frustration in most NBA Drafts. You'll often get a player who is just talented enough to befuddle.
But sometimes it works out. Sometimes a steal unexpectedly falls into your lap. And that's exactly what happened to the Houston Rockets Thursday night.
With general manager Daryl Morey unable to move up in the draft yet again, the Rockets had no right to expect to get a player as good as Kansas forward Marcus Morris. But there, Morris — the Big 12 Player of the Year was — just waiting in the New Jersey green room for Houston to grab.
And then, it got even better when Morey traded for Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Jonny Flynn soon after. On a night when the Rockets got the second twin in Angel Morris' family, they still managed to make a twin killing on draft night.
For a franchise that's had so much go wrong, something finally went right. Twice.
The 6-foot-8, 230-pound Morris was a ferocious rebounder in college and a pretty good outside shooter. He is one of the three best players I saw covering the NCAA Tournament at three different sites — with UConn's Kemba Walker (the ninth overall pick) and Derrick Williams (the second overall pick) the only others who compared. In head-to-head meetings, Morris often dominated and sometimes absolutely intimidated Texas forward Tristan Thompson, who went fourth to Cleveland.
Morris is a force with attitude. He's the player who memorably taunted both Richmond and VCU before NCAA Tournament games in San Antonio (while it could be argued that didn't work out too well against VCU, with the Rams pulling one of the great tourney upsets, Morris is one of the few Jayhawks who brought it in that regional final). Morris instantly makes the Rockets a tougher, more physical team.
He seems to be a perfect fit with new Rockets coach Kevin McHale, a Hall of Fame NBA big man who was never above raising his elbows himself.
For a franchise that's had so much go wrong, something finally went right. Twice.
No less an authority than Kansas coach Bill Self who's had some NBA All-Stars — including borderline All-NBA point guard Deron Williams — calls Morris "the most complete player I've ever coached." ESPN analyst Jay Bilas couldn't stop talking about the Rockets' good fortune.
"I think the Houston Rockets have to feel lucky to get him at 14," Bilas said.
Flynn found himself even more touted before the 2009 NBA Draft. The former New York Mr. Basketball poured in 28 points in his first game at Syracuse and the fast-swerving 6-foot point guard quickly became known for his ability to jam over much taller players. That force wasn't there last season in Minneapolis.
But Morey's betting that the talent remains.
This is one the biggest wins in the recent history of Les Alexander's franchise — which isn't saying all that much, but it's still saying something.
It all happened because the Phoenix Suns, selecting one pick ahead of Houston at No. 13, surprised almost everyone by taking Markieff Morris — Marcus' less heralded twin brother — instead. It could have never happened if the Suns followed draft board convention — or if the Timberwolves didn't need to clear a spot for Ricky Rubio, the Spanish wizard of a point guard.
This doesn't cure the Rockets. There is no instant elixir.
The Rockets have a new coach in McHale and almost all the same questions from two straight non-playoff seasons. They still don't have a difference-making All-Star, a healthy impact center or any real hope of being a championship contender.
Morey tried to move up in this year's draft, but couldn't do it. Just like he tried to move up in last year's draft and couldn't do it.
While Mark Jackson — Golden State's charismatic new coach — was guaranteeing that the Warriors will make the playoffs next year, Houston could guarantee its fans nothing. Only, sudden hope.
Morey's now assembled a roster with three playmakers of potential in Kyle Lowry, Goran Dragic and Flynn. Lowry, who emerged as the starter last season and essentially kicked Aaron Brooks to the curb (or at least, the desert), still looks like the best of the bunch. But Flynn's an intriguing blur on the fly.
Walker, Jimmer Fredette and Brandon Knight were all gone by the time the Rockets' draft turn rolled around. Houston drafted Patrick Patterson with the lottery's last pick last year and while Patterson showed glimpses of potential, he averaged only 6.3 points and 16.7 minutes per game.
Morris should do much more than that. He doesn't instantly make Houston a playoff team. Not by a long shot.
But for the first time in two years, something went right for the Rockets. Twice. It's a start.
