Daryl Morey, Houston Rockets GM-to-be: Statistics and the NBA
A congratulations is in order to my good friend Daryl Morey, who has been hired by the Houston Rockets as Assistant General Manager with the understanding that he will become the team's General Manager following the 2006-07 NBA Season. Since 2002, Daryl, who's 32 years old, has been the Celtics' senior vice president of operations and information, and essentially the team's statistical and business guru. A graduate of Northwestern University with an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Business, he has been an adjunct professor at MIT Solan in recent years, teaching "Analytical Sports Management" with Bill James as guest instructor. Daryl and I have had some lively arguments about the wisdom of high school players entering the NBA and other issues pertaining to the league. Although we sometimes part ways, I can safely say that the Celtics' loss is the Rockets' gain. Good luck to him and the Rockets. They just hired a really smart, approachable guy with a lot of common sense to eventually run their team.
For reaction from Celtics' fans, check out one of my favorite blogs, Jeff Clark's Celtics Blog.
-- Posted by Michael McCann @ 3/30/2006 04:09:00 PM --
Comments (5) --
Post a Comment
5 Comments:
I have been saying basketball should take this route for a little while now. It is about time we get rid of the Isiah Thomas' of the world. However basketball maybe different in regards to moneyball. Look how many players score 20 points per game and do not replicate it. What is the right equation of points rebounds, assists, steals, blocks fouls committed etc... Also basketball is game that requires more chemistry and non statbook stats than any other sport, such as good defense. Look how valuabel Bruce Bowen is. Those would be some interesting stats, how much players score against certain players. Maybe this system is good with the draft, Ryan Gomes, an all-american as a junior at Providence is playing better than most rookie forwards. He cetainly seems like a better pick than Marvin Williams. And what about Jameer Nelson two years ago? So I do not know how much inflluence he had in the draft, but Gomes is great and on the flipside Oriene Greene may be the worst player from that draft. Wonder why Doc Rivers even plays him, maybe we need moneyball coaches too!
Tommie, those are good points, I too am a big Ryan Gomes fan. As to Orien Greene, his off-court struggles seem to be drawing more attention than his on-court struggles: he was arrested earlier this week for driving 90 MPH on Main Street in Waltham, Massachusetts, while trying to evade the cops at 3 AM:
"The Celtics suspended rookie point guard Orien Greene yesterday for what will likely be one game, according to coach Doc Rivers and executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge. The suspension stems from Greene's arrest early Monday morning in Waltham for a handful of driving violations, including failure to stop for police, operating to endanger, marked lane violation, and speeding. Although the criminal charges -- failure to stop and operating to endanger -- were dismissed upon payment of a $200 fine, the Celtics suspended Greene for conduct detrimental to the team. The one-game suspension will cost Greene about $4,500."
View Michael McCann's LinkedIn Profile
