Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is leaving his position after 13 years with the Houston Rockets.
For now, Morey won’t accept a position with another NBA team. According to Wojnarowski, he is “increasingly determined to explore what else might interest him professionally.” Morey still intends to work as a “advisory role” for the Rockets for a short while until Houston wraps up its coaching search.
With his decision, Morey becomes the second prominent Rockets player to leave in 2020. Mike D’Antoni, the former head coach, left the team on September 13, yet he still wants to play in the NBA.
In recent seasons, the combination of James Harden and Morey-D’Antoni launched one of the greatest experiments in NBA history. For the first time, the Rockets’ micro-ball era began in 2019–20, and they finished first in the NBA in three-point attempts the previous four years. With this unusual roster, the general manager of Houston will be at a real crossroads. Steering away from Morey’s plan will be more difficult said than done.
The Rockets, with eight straight postseason trips, own the longest playoff streak in the NBA. In 10 of the previous 13 seasons with Morey, they have advanced to the postseason; but, in the Harden era, the team has not yet reached the Finals.
The Lakers defeated Harden and Company in the 2020 Western Conference semifinals. Their only two significant free agents heading into the summer are Austin Rivers and Jeff Green.
