longtime GM Carroll Dawson cedes the front office to current assistant GM Daryl Morey. Dawson prized scouting and face-to-face character assessment to stock the roster, a hit-and-miss approach that, on one hand, helped bring the likes of Shane Battier, but, on the other, brought the likes of Wells. Morey cut his teeth analyzing players in the Moneyball school of analysis, judging players on their efficiency, per-minute output and contribution to positive or negative plays on the floor. How Morey marries the numbers to the human elements is an effort that will be watched by many.
If the relatively short history of number-crunching is any indication, expect Morey to focus on players who take care of the ball, make the most of their minutes and may be riding someone's bench or in some bigger star's shadow: players such as Houston's own Hayes or Milwaukee's Mo Williams.
There isn't an abundance of money to throw around, but with two stars already in the fold, the Rockets can concentrate on building a deeper roster of support players who complement the two, not add pressure on them.