With the Rockets’ retooling exceeding his expectations, owner Leslie Alexander said he will not let the contract of general manager Daryl Morey expire after next season.

Though he typically has not worked on one contract until the previous deal is complete, Alexander said he intends to re-sign Morey.

“His contract is up next year, I believe,” Alexander said on Saturday. “We’ll re-up him. Daryl knows that I judge him all the time. I’ve told him. He’s not shy about it, either. He just knows that’s the way I operate. Why wouldn’t I? The general manager is the one person in your organization you can really judge. He can make good moves or bad moves. This year, I think he’s made three terrific moves.”

The Rockets will carefully guard their salary cap flexibility to be able to maneuver in free agency with the hope of acquiring a second top-level star.

“I think it’s maybe easier in a way because players want to play with James,” Alexander said. “That’s an attraction we didn’t have before. They like the city. All players like the city.

via Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle