Takeaways from Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey's Reddit AMA Session

On the heels of a second consecutive offseason to remember, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey conducted an ask-me-anything session on Reddit.com Friday afternoon and let the world in on how a team-building savant gets the job done.

He also treated participants to a few surprises and forward-looking nuggets of interest that aren't to be missed. 

Morey has earned the reputation of a cutting-edge numbers guru, and he's vindicated that reputation by building what many perceive to be the summer's most improved team. Here's a closer look at how he did it and what we can expect from the Rockets in 2013-14.

Where Omer Asik Fits In and What Becomes of the 4-Spot

Wondering why Omer Asik hasn't been dealt despite rumors aplenty in the wake of Howard's acquisition? Morey seemed to confirm comments Kevin McHale made in July about Asik's future with the team: "Omer would prefer to be a starter and is certainly a starter+ quality player. That said, he is a winner first & likes being on a winning team."

Even more interesting, Morey suggested the club was indeed looking into the viability of pairing Howard and Asik at the same time, saying McHale "plans to experiment with Dwight at PF and Omer as C in training camp." Though he conceded the Rockets could employ such a lineup somewhat regularly should it prove effective, he later said, "Donatas [Motiejunas] or Terrence Jones likely starting at PF."

The problem with trotting Howard and Asik out at the same time is that neither of them can shoot. Howard has the mobility to keep up with most power forwards, but it's hard to see how he'd remain as effective a scoring threat with an extra defender (ostensibly assigned to Asik) sagging in the paint.

We'll see.

How Morey Sold Dwight Howard on Making the Move to Houston

Asked about the principal selling points used to sway Howard's decision, Morey outlined a three-pronged approach that focused on James Harden, Kevin McHale and the fact Houston has, "the most draft picks, free agency $$, and young players to improve the team going forward among the teams he was choosing from."

Weighed against the Dallas Mavericks' video overture and the Los Angeles Lakers' promises of life after the Geriatric Era, Howard's decision ultimately wasn't that difficult for someone undertaking an unsentimental cost-benefit assessment.

Chris Paul Was Never That Close to Becoming a Houston Rocket

Remember this little musing from Grantland's Bill Simmons?

"

To Chris Paul, who basically told the Clippers that after they squashed the first incarnation of their Doc Rivers trade. Chris didn't like that. He let them know he was heading to Houston to team up with Dwight. And he wasn't kidding. For about 36 hours, Morey probably felt like all 11 guys in Ocean's Eleven. You know what happened next: The Clippers blinked, the Doc trade got revived and finished, and the Clippers were offering Chris 107 million reasons to play for him. Crisis averted. The lesson, as always: Chris Paul runs the Clippers.

"

Morey discussed the scenario, but there was no mention of Oceans Eleven.

"

As Chris Paul is the best PG in the NBA of course we had interest. Was flattering to hear that he may have had interest in us but we were always on the periphery of where he might choose to go was my understanding. That said, Bill often has more information than I do.

"

As usual, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. While Simmons may well be correct that Paul "wasn't kidding" about the potential relocation, the fact that Morey didn't have a better handle on the situation suggests he couldn't have been that serious.

An empty threat designed to improve leverage with the Clippers? Almost certainly, at least to some degree. We'll never know just how empty, but it doesn't sound like CP3 was very far along into his Plan B.

Enough with Blaming Jeremy Lin

One Rockets fan who didn't feel like he was getting his money's worth asked what was up with Jeremy Lin. What better opportunity for Morey to unleash the truth. Here's the entire shutdown in all its defensive-but-legitimate grandeur:

"

It is amazing to me that all the time I encounter people feeling negative about Jeremy's season with us. I have chalked this up to:

-- he started off slow, mostly do to getting 100% back from injury
-- very high, unrealistic expectations after his time in New York
-- had a rough ending in the playoffs, again due to injury
-- people generally remember starts & ends more than anything else
-- people generally compare things to their expectations when forming opinions versus look at the big picture

Last year was Jeremy's 1st full year in the league. Essentially his rookie year. If last season would have been his rookie year and he never would have played in New York, right now people would be appropriately talking about him incessantly as one of the top young rookie stars in the league. He was the starting point guard on a playoff team in West at age 24!!! Don't get me started on this. Too late...

"

OK, but tell us how you really feel.

Tanking is Annoying, but Don't Blame the Sixers

Asked for a response to Steve Kerr's provocative discussion of the cost of tanking in the NBA (and how to fix it), Morey toed the line with a thinly veiled indictment of the status quo:

"

I promised myself I won't get fined on this AMA. I think I may not be allowed to comment directly on this. I do think the overwhelming rewards to losing teams that is currently in place in the NBA is something we need to work on and has solutions that are reasonable.

"

That might seem an even less thinly veiled slap in the Philadelphia 76ers' face, but Morey separately noted that we couldn't blame the organization for doing exactly what the rules both encourage and allow it to do. He even gave Philly's chosen path a pretty strong endorsement: "76ers certainly don't need my help but I think they are taking exactly the correct approach given the context of their team and the CBA/draft rules currently in place."

With old Rockets pal Sam Hinkie running the show in Philly, Morey definitely chose the right answer.

San Antonio's 2012-13 Title Push Didn't Make Them of the West

Sure to fuel Spurs fans' innate disbelief at the eternal lack of respect cast their way, Morey said the Oklahoma City Thunder was the "best team when healthy" when asked who stood largest in the way of a Houston's title ambitions. 

It's certainly hard to argue with any lineup boasting Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook amidst their respective ascensions into prime career years. On the other hand, there will be all the more pressure on the two stars after having lost Kevin Martin this summer, a summer after acquiring him in exchange for James Harden. And that's not accounting for the pressure falling on second-year guard Jeremy Lamb (originally drafted by Houston and dealt in the Harden trade) and emerging sixth man Reggie Jackson. 

Mr. Morey Isn't Interested in Serving as a "Genital Manager"

A Reddit user by the handle bubblegumtate22 asked the question that's been on everyone's minds: "If you had to be the genital manager for another team in the league, which would it be?"

To which Morey responded, "Really reddit? This question is at the top?"

No comment necessary on this one.