Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey knew he had to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma City Thunder once the former MVP was made available in trade talks.
Morey, who is one of the more aggressive general managers in the NBA, says it's his job to check in with teams who have really good players who might be available. The Rockets' architect was able to acquire Westbrook, reuniting the explosive point guard with his pal James Harden.
The Rockets now have two MVPs on their roster, something Morey says is a “pretty good formula” to have:
Daryl Morey: "I think only 4 times in NBA history a team has had 2 MVPs in a 3-year span on the same team and it's always ended in a championship… It's a pretty good formula." pic.twitter.com/BbmOcUd1RR
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) August 1, 2019
Russell Westbrook has averaged a triple-double three seasons in a row, while James Harden has led the NBA in scoring the past two seasons. The Rockets are hoping the Harden-Westbrook duo nets a championship. The last time two MVPs joined forces was back in 2016 when Kevin Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors to play with Stephen Curry. The Warriors went to three straight Finals in the Durant-Curry era and won two titles.
Because Westbrook and Harden are both ball-dominant players, there are a lot of people who don't believe the two superstars are going to be able to co-exist on the court. Daryl Morey and the Rockets are clearly not in that camp. Morey believes Westbrook and Harden can both play off the ball when asked to and flourish.
Needless to say, the Rockets are going to be an intriguing team to watch next season.
Follow Us
Subscribe