Daryl Morey Is Not Your Executive Of The Year

Daryl Morey, while being perhaps the best GM in basketball, is not your Executive of the Year. Sorry.

It pains me to say it, but it's true. Perhaps he got robbed last season - what a dunce for not trading for Chauncey Billups, amirite? - but this year, he doesn't have a shot in hell. His only hope: Lee, Dave, Kelly Dwyer, and myself manage to get a hold of the ballots before they are submitted and desperately pencil-push away like we're trying to get Tracy into the All-Star game.

The Rockets were average this season, literally. They earned the honorable title of "Best Team Not In The Playoffs." Dare we take into account that Yao Ming was out for the entire season before we judge this team, like any sane person would? Of course not: that would be silly. Send it in, Jerome.

But let's be real, here. All of these crazy moves that Daryl managed to pull off haven't done squat yet, regardless of how disadvantaged the Rockets were this season. Take it from the man himself. Like any professional ass-kisser would, I messaged Daryl the night of the deadline to congratulate him on the successful deadline deals. He messaged me back with "we need to prove it on the court." And he's right. As good as these moves appear to be, they haven't worked out yet, despite the overwhelming evidence that suggests they will. We can jump the gun here at TDS, but national voters won't.

Executive of the Year award voters like immediate results when it comes to roster moves. Trade for Billups, win more games than before, and bam, victory. It's going to happen again this year, this time with Milwaukee's John Hammond. Trade for John Salmons, win more games than before, get swept in playoffs without a true center, and bam, victory. But didn't the Rockets manage to take the eventual champions to seven games without their cen---nope, don't want to hear it. They didn't trade for Chauncey. Maybe next year, Daryl.

To be fair, Denver's Mark Warkentein and Hammond certainly deserve recognition for their efforts. They made significant adjustments to their respective teams that paid off, in particular Hammond, who made the ballsy decision to get rid of his three best players. And look what happened - Milwaukee made the playoffs comfortably. So, yes, Hammond deserves all the credit in the world, and he'll probably take home the trophy this year.

If we're looking at "best roster moves" for this year, and we allow time for them to take form, then yes, Morey wins, and it's not even close. And if things work out on the court as we'd like them to, then perhaps Morey will finally get his hardware next season. But as for this year? He doesn't have a chance, and as frustrating to admit as that is, it makes sense with what the award is all about.

Having said that... screw the award. I'm with Morey either way.