Fool
04-04-2006, 01:51 PM
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
jonathan.feigen@chron.com
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
Targeting a switch in '07, Rockets' Dawson will groom Celtics' Morey as successor
In an astounding change of direction and style that stunned the Rockets and the NBA, owner Leslie Alexander has chosen Boston Celtics statistical analyst Daryl Morey to be his next general manager. Morey will succeed Carroll Dawson after the 2006-07 season.
Morey, the Celtics' senior vice president of operations and information, has worked under Boston owner Wyc Grousbeck for the past three seasons but has never been a player, coach, scout or general manager.
Morey, 32, will become the Rockets' assistant general manager under Dawson next month before assuming the GM position after next season.
Alexander and Dawson would not comment Wednesday about the selection of Morey. Morey said via e-mail that he could not comment.
Alexander did say, however, that Dawson will become a "senior consultant" after next season.
The owner also said he hoped Dennis Lindsey, the Rockets' vice president of basketball operations, whom many around the NBA considered in line to succeed Dawson, would remain with the team.
Dawson agreed to a two-year extension with the Rockets after last season and set the timetable on his move from the general manager position.
"CD is going to be with the organization for a long time," Alexander said. "He will be a great adviser. He will remain an integral part of what we do."
Asked whether Dawson or Morey will make decisions that affect the team beyond Dawson's tenure as general manager, Alexander said: "CD is the top guy for the next year. He's the boss."
But it is already clear that the new boss will be very different from the old boss.
Dawson, 65, has been with the Rockets for 26 years, the past 10 as general manager. A former Baylor coach, he was an assistant under Del Harris, Bill Fitch, Don Chaney and Rudy Tomjanovich.
Morey's position with the Celtics is his first in sports. He teaches a course at MIT, where he received his masters in business administration in "Analytical Sports Management."
With the Celtics, he is not listed with the basketball operations department led by executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge and general manager Chris Wallace. Morey "focuses on arena operations, risk management, basketball analytics, and ticket sales strategy, pricing and technology infrastructure."
Though many NBA teams, including the Rockets, have expanded their study of statistical player evaluations, the hiring of Morey could be viewed as the NBA's first move toward baseball's Moneyball trend. Moneyball was a 2003 book that detailed the Oakland Athletics' move away from scouting in favor of more statistical-based analysis. Several baseball teams, including the Red Sox with general manager Theo Epstein, have hired executives with non-traditional baseball backgrounds.
In choosing Morey, Alexander has opted for an analytical approach to player evaluation in addition to the scouting systems already in place. Because of that, Alexander said he wanted Lindsey back.
"I love Dennis," Alexander said. "I want Dennis long-term. I love what Dennis does."
Morey, who will handle negotiations with agents and other GMs, also understands the need for input from those with basketball backgrounds.
"Basketball is an intensely human game, where the personal aspect is very, very important," Morey said in an interview with an MIT alumni publication in regard to his position with the Celtics. "Analysis can point you in the right direction, but it's possible to take it too far.
"A Danny Ainge needs to integrate the analytical stuff with his knowledge and experience to make the right decision."
That would seem to fit with the management style of Alexander, who expects detailed information when making every organization decision.
Though Dawson has handled the negotiations and the Rockets have largely sought to build rosters suited to the desires of Tomjanovich and current coach Jeff Van Gundy, Alexander approves the decisions on all veteran player moves.
In the December issue of Technology Review, Morey described his value to the Celtics but also might have revealed a good deal about the Rockets' move.
"The reason that opportunity exists is because the ownership groups buying teams are very different than in the past," Morey said. "The franchise is their primary asset, and they come from backgrounds with an analytical focus such as venture capital, private equity, and management consulting. In the past, sports franchises were secondary assets in the portfolio of individuals who made their money in industrial-based businesses."
Alexander's background as a securities trader would fit that trend, and Morey's background fit Alexander and what he wanted.
jonathan.feigen@chron.com
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
Targeting a switch in '07, Rockets' Dawson will groom Celtics' Morey as successor
In an astounding change of direction and style that stunned the Rockets and the NBA, owner Leslie Alexander has chosen Boston Celtics statistical analyst Daryl Morey to be his next general manager. Morey will succeed Carroll Dawson after the 2006-07 season.
Morey, the Celtics' senior vice president of operations and information, has worked under Boston owner Wyc Grousbeck for the past three seasons but has never been a player, coach, scout or general manager.
Morey, 32, will become the Rockets' assistant general manager under Dawson next month before assuming the GM position after next season.
Alexander and Dawson would not comment Wednesday about the selection of Morey. Morey said via e-mail that he could not comment.
Alexander did say, however, that Dawson will become a "senior consultant" after next season.
The owner also said he hoped Dennis Lindsey, the Rockets' vice president of basketball operations, whom many around the NBA considered in line to succeed Dawson, would remain with the team.
Dawson agreed to a two-year extension with the Rockets after last season and set the timetable on his move from the general manager position.
"CD is going to be with the organization for a long time," Alexander said. "He will be a great adviser. He will remain an integral part of what we do."
Asked whether Dawson or Morey will make decisions that affect the team beyond Dawson's tenure as general manager, Alexander said: "CD is the top guy for the next year. He's the boss."
But it is already clear that the new boss will be very different from the old boss.
Dawson, 65, has been with the Rockets for 26 years, the past 10 as general manager. A former Baylor coach, he was an assistant under Del Harris, Bill Fitch, Don Chaney and Rudy Tomjanovich.
Morey's position with the Celtics is his first in sports. He teaches a course at MIT, where he received his masters in business administration in "Analytical Sports Management."
With the Celtics, he is not listed with the basketball operations department led by executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge and general manager Chris Wallace. Morey "focuses on arena operations, risk management, basketball analytics, and ticket sales strategy, pricing and technology infrastructure."
Though many NBA teams, including the Rockets, have expanded their study of statistical player evaluations, the hiring of Morey could be viewed as the NBA's first move toward baseball's Moneyball trend. Moneyball was a 2003 book that detailed the Oakland Athletics' move away from scouting in favor of more statistical-based analysis. Several baseball teams, including the Red Sox with general manager Theo Epstein, have hired executives with non-traditional baseball backgrounds.
In choosing Morey, Alexander has opted for an analytical approach to player evaluation in addition to the scouting systems already in place. Because of that, Alexander said he wanted Lindsey back.
"I love Dennis," Alexander said. "I want Dennis long-term. I love what Dennis does."
Morey, who will handle negotiations with agents and other GMs, also understands the need for input from those with basketball backgrounds.
"Basketball is an intensely human game, where the personal aspect is very, very important," Morey said in an interview with an MIT alumni publication in regard to his position with the Celtics. "Analysis can point you in the right direction, but it's possible to take it too far.
"A Danny Ainge needs to integrate the analytical stuff with his knowledge and experience to make the right decision."
That would seem to fit with the management style of Alexander, who expects detailed information when making every organization decision.
Though Dawson has handled the negotiations and the Rockets have largely sought to build rosters suited to the desires of Tomjanovich and current coach Jeff Van Gundy, Alexander approves the decisions on all veteran player moves.
In the December issue of Technology Review, Morey described his value to the Celtics but also might have revealed a good deal about the Rockets' move.
"The reason that opportunity exists is because the ownership groups buying teams are very different than in the past," Morey said. "The franchise is their primary asset, and they come from backgrounds with an analytical focus such as venture capital, private equity, and management consulting. In the past, sports franchises were secondary assets in the portfolio of individuals who made their money in industrial-based businesses."
Alexander's background as a securities trader would fit that trend, and Morey's background fit Alexander and what he wanted.