Ron Artest Is Sabermetric
ArtestThere’s an article in this month’s ESPN The Magazine about how Rockets GM Daryl Morey is basketball’s version of Bill James, the baseball statistician who revolutionized the way teams analyze players. Morey is qualified for the comparison – he got an MBA from MIT, he likes cartoons, and is a total geek.
With Morey keeping his secrets close to his chest so his competitors don’t bite off of his in-depth statistical analysis, it’s tough to evaluate his “system.” But there are some obvious clues. Just look at the guys he signs. Maybe that doesn’t tell the whole story, but at least it gives a pretty accurate picture how he executes his mathematical model.
Though I’m still struggling to see how Rafer Alston fits into any type of efficiency-based model, I think that Morey’s vision is pretty clear with the signing of Ron Artest.
* The Rockets ranked 23rd in the League last year in creating turnovers. Artest is one of the only guys in the League who truly locks up on defense while also generating steals, 2.3 per game.
* With Yao, Rick Adelman doesn’t want to rush the ball up the floor and force bad shots. Thus, Houston will often play at the Big Soft Serve’s pace, which is the second slowest in the NBA. Artest has been successful playing at an uptempo pace in Sacramento (8th in the League last year), and at a much more measured tempo in Indiana (26th in the League in ’03-04).
* Most importantly, the Rockets were in desperate need of another guard who could score from anywhere. As much as Morey loves Shane Battier, the meaningful chunk of his offense comes from behind the three-point line. Artest provides the squad with a viable threat from three and from 10-feet. His “adjusted field goal percentage” of 49.7% is a good indicator of that.
To check out the rest of the ESPN The Mag article, it’s HERE.
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October 24th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
dukesman2000 says:
I mean, you don’t need a degree from MIT to know that Ron Artest brings tangible pluses to any squad; it is basicaly common sense. On the other hand, common sense isn’t that common because Ron Artest would have been a Knickerbocker a long time ago.
October 24th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Meica says:
Sure, Artest brings all of these things, but if this guy is such a statistical magician why would this team have those problems in the first place?! Anyway, the league’s going to an up-tempo game and Artest ain’t fast enough to change the Rockets abysmally slow and boring offense.
Either way, it’s clear that his theories don’t take injury history into account because the Rockets have two of the most injury prone superstars in the league. The Rockets might have had a chance one of these season if T-Mac and Yao weren’t perennial injured around the all-star break.
October 24th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
fallinup says:
Eh, all I could think of was Mike James when I was reading those first few sentences.
Absolutely, these next two seasons are easily Houston’s best chances at a chip with TMac and Yao. It has to work..and it can with Artest. It doesn’t take much analyzing to go after a player like Ron. I’m sure some, if not all would take a crack at his crazy ass.
With Houston, the name of the game has been Health. Can this team stay healthy???
October 24th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
Whar have T-Mac and Yao done to be considered superstars? When you say super star I think of KG, KB24, Young SHAQ, Timmy D, LBJ. Now that’s not to say they aren’t stars cause they are all stars, but superstars?
October 24th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
GEE...I got a bounty on George Karl. says:
Daryl took to long to build this team right. I mean don’t get me wrong congrats go out to him now. He has down well. Still the moves he made this year should have been moves made sooner.
Hopefully it won’t be to late.
Ron is really going to help or hurt Daryl. I am thinking help.
Where is Daryl’s other “r” in his name.
October 24th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
craig990 says:
if im not mistaken people!
Daryl Morey just became the GM in Houston in March of 2007! even though he was assistant GM since 2006.
His tenure in Houston hasn’t been long
so its unfair to say he took a while to build this team right!
Correct me on those if im wrong Dime! but i believe im right!
October 24th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
GEE...I got a bounty on George Karl. says:
LOL whether you right or wrong, he wasn’t even in the mix on many trades publicly and like I said till now I ain’t seen nothing impressive.
So naw I don’t feel it’s unfair. What’s unfair is having to see your star players work way more than they should to carry teams cause the GM is taking to long to pull the trigger on trades.
Again Ron is going to help make or break this dude.
October 24th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
fallinup says:
craig is right. And I stand corrected. He was brought in on April 2006. Post Mike James and all of those stiffs. The significant move he made was bring in Battier. He got rid of a lot of stiffs to. So yeah, he hasn’t passed the “fuck up” curve yet. LOL
October 24th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Prof. TX says:
Dime,
You can’t keep calling Yao “soft” while you’re still using the “Dalembeast” label. Are you really trying to say that you’d take Dalembert over Yao? I know you like to hate Yao, but he’s still the best center in the west (and arguably in the league) so the Philly love despite all of the stat comparisons is a bit strong.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Drink the Haterade (Kobe Rocks) says:
He brought in Shane for Rudy Gay, who’d you rather have?
October 25th, 2008 at 1:05 am
analord says:
I think Morey did a good job overall. Getting the real basketball players and made good personnel decisions.
Getting Artest is a no-brainer. It’s a move that can elevate the Rockets deep into the playoffs. Although, it takes a healthy pair of Yao and Mac for Houston to really do some damage in the loaded West.
October 25th, 2008 at 10:04 am
johnny says:
It’s impressive how they’ve stock-piled Hayes/Scola/Landry/Dorsey so fast. Are they due for a trade there? I think Landry and Hayes should go, because if they wanna go undersized at pf, they can use Artest or Battier.
If this guy is so smart, then he should trade Yao for 2 good but not great players and a 1st rounder right before the annual injury. Health is the only thing holding this team back. Look at their amazing 20+ win streak last year. Wasn’t half of it with Yao injured?
Any word on Dikembe giving it another go?
October 25th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Casey Lee says:
What you mean “why Rafer?”
Rafer Alston fits the mold of that team best suited for the PG position since Sam Cassell led them to the Finals almost 13 years ago!!
Artest definitely brings a lot to the table but remember my man Rafer does a lot that most selfish PGs in the League can’t do: Pass first, Score Second.
I don’t think the Rockets could not have had their streak if it wasn’t for Alston…