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Hi, welcome on to a special Dararyl Morey Houston Rockets edition of the Hollinger and Duncan NBA show.

That is obviously where we need to start here.

Shocking news.

Perhaps that it happened right now, maybe not shocking news in a more macro sense, but obviously both of us know Gerald,

he's been one of the most prominent GMs in the league. This is a big moment here with him stepping

down. What were your initial thoughts on Sean? Yeah, I was more surprised by the timing than the

event, being a little bit removed from the season. Usually you expect this to happen either right away or not at all.

And instead it took a little while for everything to come down. But bigger picture, I mean, I think when that Westbrook trade happened and he included the two future first, I think a lot of people thought to themselves at that moment that this is only a deal somebody does if they know

they have no intention of being the general manager in 2024.

Yeah, I tweeted as much at the time.

I thought that he and Tillman Fertitta did not really see eye to eye that it was a marriage

that was not destined to last.

And I mean, it was interesting, though, because it seemed

like the whole idea of the Westbrook trade was to get someone who was more liable. I actually felt

like they had more upside with Chris Paul. I think this year's events kind of showed that in the

end. But yeah, but yeah, I mean, to give up two first rounders and some pick swaps going forward and also kind of giving in to what James Hardin wanted, it seemed like this was one last chance to go all in and he wouldn't have to deal with the consequences.

And he had 13 years of reputation before that.

So you would imagine unless the Hong Kong thing has a bigger effect than we think it might

that he'll have plenty of chance to get another job. Oh, absolutely. If he wants to or if he doesn't

have bigger aspirations. I mean, we saw it, it's funny, I mean, Billy Bean just a day earlier, right?

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