Electrical_Smell7986

299 | 6 hours ago

So they proceed to not make any moves for a replacement PG? Is this implying they just threw in the towel on the whole year then?

WeBelieveIn4 | Raptors

92 | 6 hours ago

Certainly sounds like it from what Stone said the other day

https://np.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1r24lc3/houston_rockets_gm_rafael_stone_on_the_season_so/

PassMeTheBackwood | Knicks

37 | 6 hours ago

I was surprised that thread didn’t pick up more traction.

grudgepacker | Bucks

22 | 5 hours ago

Agreed, one of the most “open” things any GM could admit to the media…reminds of something Doc would do tbh lmao

SoKrat3s | NBA

1 | 5 hours ago

Morey picked up on it! /s

MichaelPorterTruther

1 | 2 hours ago

Thats an insane interview

darren_meier

50 | 5 hours ago

Seriously, the Chicago Bulls went ahead and did the hard work, acquiring EVERY GUARD EVER so Stone could just showroom them all in one convenient location, and Stone couldn’t even be arsed to pick up the phone. It’s such a strange move to make, like one injury happens and you just punt on the whole season? KD is not getting younger. Or at the least if you’re gonna do that, just give Reed all the minutes you possibly can.

Virtual-Emu-1089

21 | 5 hours ago

Both Ayo and Coby went for cheap. No clue way Houston didn’t jump in.

nonetimeaccount | HOU

8 | 5 hours ago

The teams that gave them away didn’t want money on the books beyond this year

Please show me an offer that gets it done for us

way2gimpy | Nets

3 | 4 hours ago

Houston has some decent draft picks in its treasure chest. They could have added good sweeteners to take a contract back.

nonetimeaccount | HOU

14 | 4 hours ago

Please name me the deal.

It’s real easy to say “they could’ve done something”, it’s a different story when you need to be more concrete than “something”

We’re not giving up any of our nets, suns, or Mavs picks for a 3 month Ayo rental. We’re not re-signing these dudes. We have Fred and need to still pay Tari, Amen, and Reed.

So please, give me an offer.

MolingHard | Nets

5 | 4 hours ago

The Schroder one?

How would you feel about a Schroder + Keon Ellis for DFS + Aaron Holiday + a couple of SRPs?

nonetimeaccount | HOU

4 | 3 hours ago

I would’ve done that but I don’t see that getting accepted. If a team doesn’t want to take on money I don’t see a couple of 2nds being a convincing argument to take on DFS.

But I’d do that for us

MolingHard | Nets

1 | 3 hours ago

I mean they took on Hunters money (23m this year 25m next year)

Would you have traded for Harden back lol

Like Sengun + Capela for Harden straight up, then trade Aaron Holiday and the Rockets 2028 FRP for Yves Missi

Not completely serious, but that team would be interesting, 1-5 would be pretty switch-able defensively (for all of Harden’s defensive faults he’s always been a solid post defender)

a_moniker | Hornets

2 | 3 hours ago

Steven Adams (on a descending contract) + 2028 Houston First would have been a much better offer than the Bulls got for Ayo or Coby

They also could have swapped Eason for a PG

nonetimeaccount | HOU

0 | 3 hours ago

We’re not giving up Steve or Tari to rent Ayo or Coby

a_moniker | Hornets

2 | 3 hours ago

It wouldn’t be a rental. You could have extended them this summer. You’re going to need to add another guard this summer anyway

way2gimpy | Nets

1 | 4 hours ago

Houston was never going to get good ‘value’ for those picks.

There is a reason most nba teams play for ‘windows.’ Trading for Durant means the window is now.

nonetimeaccount | HOU

0 | 3 hours ago

Still not an offer

sammymate999 | Rockets

0 | 3 hours ago

Why are the rockets going to add a good pick for a guard that isn’t going to make any difference? Name me one of the guards that got traded that was going to put the rockets over OKC/Spurs

Krillin113 | 76ers

1 | 2 hours ago

Tari Eason for Jared McCain.

You get an actual PG and shooter on a rookie deal which also helps going forward

tofurkeytrot

15 | 5 hours ago

FVV also turns 32 in 2 weeks …

darren_meier

14 | 5 hours ago

Yeah, it’s just so weird. There were plenty of good expirings they could’ve made a move for. Could’ve got Coby White, could’ve got Collin Sexton… all without messing up the future. Stone’s bananas for this one.

the_shins | Pistons

8 | 5 hours ago

I haven’t double checked this but I think it was hard for them to add any of them, since FVV can’t be traded without his consent. They didn’t really have any salary to match for them in a trade.

I think signing DFS over another guard was probably the problem in retrospect.

DamnReality

2 | 4 hours ago

They’ve lost 2 guys that were pretty essential to their function. I think they’ll try to run with Fred again next year but I don’t know if they can depend on Adam’s health for next year. I expect they’ll be pretty active in the offseason.

Aggressive-Ad-756 | Rockets

1 | 4 hours ago

Exactly what he did and say. But you gut dumb people on the rockets sub still defending stone

incredibleamadeuscho | Lakers

1 | 4 hours ago

they are gonna sign Dlo with a buyout. So yes throwing in the towel

anonymoususer6407 | Rockets

1 | 3 hours ago

Yes, and yes

Cheap-Discussion-186 | Timberwolves

48 | 5 hours ago

I just don’t get why they didn’t get a guard at the deadline. They are still a really good team. Shit, Ayo would have been perfect for them all things considered.

SorryAboutTheChili

42 | 5 hours ago

Even Schroeder

livefreeordont | 76ers

3 | an hour ago

We gave McCain away for free

SorryAboutTheChili

3 | an hour ago

To the deepest team in the league.

WD51 | Spurs

14 | 5 hours ago

Looking at their contracts might be hard to salary match for Ayo or Schroder type rentals without giving up a player they like more.

FVV has no trade clause.

Adam’s is injured so they need the 3rd string Capela.

They have 3 vet mins and Tari Eason under 10m contracts and obviously theyre not trading Tari for a rental.

the_shins | Pistons

4 | 5 hours ago

Also Taris deal is only for like 5 million which is way to little to even get back a decent player in return

WD51 | Spurs

3 | 4 hours ago

Basically any player you get back is almost guaranteed gonna be worse than Tari in a 1:1 trade.

a_moniker | Hornets

1 | 3 hours ago

They could have given up Adams plus some draft assets. Like you said, they likely can’t rely on him getting back to his previous level next year anyway.

WD51 | Spurs

1 | 3 hours ago

True but with Adam’s injury history plus his remaining contract would be expensive to have a team take on that contract anywaysm

a_moniker | Hornets

1 | 3 hours ago

Someone is likely to be willing to take that contract on though. There’s still upside that he would get back to full strength at some point, he has a descending deal, and he’s regularly considered one of the best vets in the league.

kcoe24 | Timberwolves

3 | 5 hours ago

They dont have many matching salaries its just hard to make a trade.

spin8x | Timberwolves

5 | 5 hours ago

Yeah, it was basically convince FVV (25M) to waive his no trade clause, give up on Reed Sheppard (10.6M) or Tari Eason (5.6M), or convince a team to take on long-term salary in DFS (12.7M) or Capela (6.7M). Don’t think they were willing to attach additional assets to do the last two, and they arguably aren’t even getting players as valuable as Eason/Reed.

a_moniker | Hornets

1 | 3 hours ago

They could have matched salaries with Steven Adams. He’s unlikely to get back to the same level by next year, after another major injury.

Or they could have traded a better first round pick to add a PG and get off DFS’s bad money.

pyn209 | Lakers

39 | 6 hours ago

Nico told me he would’ve asked for 4 2nds if he knew there’d be backlash on the luka trade

Giuseppe_exitplan | Magic

19 | 6 hours ago

Its okay though guys, Aaron Holiday and JD Davison are here to save the day

Pizzachomper874 | Rockets

11 | 6 hours ago

Shit apparently just them, seeing as how Ime refuses to play Reed in big minutes

Giuseppe_exitplan | Magic

2 | 6 hours ago

I wish Reed Sheppard started more games

Pizzachomper874 | Rockets

10 | 6 hours ago

Sadly the great Josh Okogie has apparently payed Ime Udoka. Or blackmailed him. Either way, too many minutes

Giuseppe_exitplan | Magic

3 | 5 hours ago

Hey now wait a second.

I smell shit akin to that Ty Lue/Marcus Morris Sr bs where a coach has this fixation on a certain player and refuses to play anyone else.

For someone that cant shoot Josh Okogie sure does get a lot of minutes on a team that would appreciate spacing and offensive IQ.

I hope Ime has put the lid on this but there was multiple times earlier in the season where Okogie would just run his own offense for a possession or two and it would always end horribly.

Mister_Squibbles | Heat

2 | 4 hours ago

Ime is just a defensive coach and gets irate when players fuck up on defense

Thorlolita | Rockets

3 | 5 hours ago

When you have possession and you are down 3 with 2 seconds to go you need guys that can play defense…

Giuseppe_exitplan | Magic

1 | 5 hours ago

I said start. Shep (oh dear lawd the 2k ptsd) should start, but not necessarily close games depending on what they need.

sorendiz | HOU

1 | 3 hours ago

They’re being sarcastic. Udoka left Reed on the bench for the final possession against the Clippers the other night where we were down 3 with 2 seconds to take a catch and shoot 3. Amen was inbounding and Sengun was on the floor.

Giuseppe_exitplan | Magic

1 | 2 hours ago

Geez. I wasnt aware of this. Maybe Udoka was having an affair with ‘Defense’ all along.

ElChapo1515

2 | 2 hours ago

They kind of need him off the bench because they don’t have any other scoring there, but he needs to play more minutes

nbaistheworst

1 | 5 hours ago

JD could actually work

MUTSellerPS4 | Raptors

19 | 6 hours ago

yeah noo shit…

Vegetable_Kale_1331 | SGA

13 | 6 hours ago

I’m surprised they didn’t get a “rental” PG before the trade deadline

sgtpepperslaststand | Cavaliers

7 | 5 hours ago

Chris Paul

tigerdactyl | Knicks

3 | 4 hours ago

Bulls took them all

I_Set_3_Alarms | Celtics

7 | 5 hours ago

Does Kevin Durant retire a rocket? Or does he demand another trade/sign another contract when he’s about 40

Financial-Grass-6114

7 | 5 hours ago

Underrated how rockets have threw in the towel on the season when they went all in the season before. Insane behavior.

Atleast the fans know.

Certain_Bet_8970

2 | 5 hours ago

The reality is they aren’t close to all in just yet, they have a bunch of picks and assets and they realize it’s gonna be time to reset a little anyways. Might as well see what happens in the summer and trade guys away if need be

MudReasonable8185

2 | 4 hours ago

It’s just bizarre to trade for KD then sign him to a $55mil contract in his age 39 season then just say “nah, we’re not ready to contend yet”. He’s going to fall off at some point.

PlasticPresentation1

1 | 3 hours ago

they gave up very little for him tbf. jalen green was barely a positive asset and brooks is a role player. and then just one frp

risinglotus | Rockets

1 | 23 minutes ago

Mate maybe go back to the title of this thread

ElChapo1515

1 | 2 hours ago

They’re really not close to “all in”

MudReasonable8185

4 | 4 hours ago

Am I the only one who doesn’t think FVV has the chops to be the lead PG on a championship team? Feels like they need an upgrade anyway

Niceguydan8

2 | 4 hours ago

I kind of agree with this for this iteration of FVV.

I think he’s been on a steady decline basically since he was an all-star like 4 years ago

TotalEmployment9996 | Raptors

1 | 4 hours ago

He can’t finish at the rim at all. If his 3pt isn’t falling he’s useless

CloneWarsMaul | Celtics

3 | 6 hours ago

I mean…yeah

heat_fan_ | Raptors

3 | 6 hours ago

Well duh lol

thelargestgatsby | Timberwolves

3 | 5 hours ago

Mike Conley is sitting right there for the taking.

clockwork_purple2

0 | 6 hours ago

KD has the worst luck. Probably would have won a title in Brooklyn if not for Covid.

Impossible-Group8553

17 | 5 hours ago

The basketball gods are not letting him win again after what he did. Harden gets hurt and Kyrie is anti-vax, Beal gets hurt and Nurkic looked completely washed for a year but now he’s good again strangely enough, now Vanvleet and Steven Adams.

Afraid-Department-35 | Mavericks

8 | 5 hours ago

He sold his soul for those 2 titles with the Warriors. Karma is a bitch.

SoKrat3s | NBA

-1 | 5 hours ago

Still has 0 rings in the StuGotz record book.

Shauerkraut

1 | 5 hours ago

KD gone this summer

Cade_02 | Pistons

1 | 5 hours ago

Excuses.

BananaRepublic_BR | Spurs

1 | 5 hours ago

Well, there’s always next season. Or maybe KD will go absolutely ballistic.

pointguard22 | Pistons

1 | 5 hours ago

That’s a silly thing to say. Yes, things would have been different if we had known that our guy was gonna get injured. Ok.

Vicentesteb | Timberwolves

1 | 5 hours ago

Why didnt they get Ayo?

sammymate999 | Rockets

2 | 3 hours ago

With what tradeable contracts?

Specialist_Boat_8479 | Bulls

1 | 2 hours ago

They were stingy. I thought yall would get Tre and they would get Ayo(in the unfortunate case of trading him)

sukari | Bulls

1 | 4 hours ago

I’m surprised they weren’t desperate enough at the deadline.. did they go all in on cp3 only to have him announce his retirement?

We’ll give you Tre Jones for some FRPs 👋

Zigxy | Pacers Bandwagon

1 | 4 hours ago

I’m pretty shocked that post-warriors KD probably won’t get a ring as #1 option

He came back from his injury so good

AdFantastic7469

1 | 4 hours ago

Can we get a timestamp, OP?

killersky99

1 | 4 hours ago

D’Angelo Russell will save the day after being waived by the Wizards.

pretzeldoggo | Kings

1 | 3 hours ago

The issue isn’t that Fred got hurt. The issue is that Fred got hurt AND that they gave him a No trade clause in the offseason. They could have traded for an upgrade if they didn’t do that

sorendiz | HOU

3 | 3 hours ago

It wasn’t like we added a no trade clause to an otherwise-structured contract. All 1+1 deals at the moment have implicit NTCs

WTF4211

1 | an hour ago

Should have tried for harden.

Several_Chapter969 | Spurs

0 | 6 hours ago

Also water is wet.

complexvibess | Warriors

0 | 6 hours ago

Damn… sky is blue?

qj1135 | Knicks

0 | 5 hours ago

wasting a year of KD because they didn’t wanna go all in is a move i guess

RontoWraps | Bulls

1 | 4 hours ago

He’s only 37, what could go wrong? Let’s just push out title contention a few years, no rush.

sammymate999 | Rockets

1 | 3 hours ago

All in for who?

Broncosonthree | Nuggets

0 | 5 hours ago

After “The Process,” I’m not only not surprised, but I’m desensitized to the idea of it. And I know they say the Hakeem-MJ draft was the beginning of modern tanking, but I wasn’t old enough to pay attention to that. I just know we live in an era where we hardly balk at tanking talk anymore

MilesHighClub_ | Rockets

1 | 8 minutes ago

Why do so many people on the internet seem to think a replacement level guard would make the Rockets contenders? Some of the names y’all are dropping are crazy

rumblegod | Thunder

0 | 5 hours ago

I guess the conversation is Kevin Durant needs a strong point guard or his teams can’t be successful right?

QoconutZ

11 | 5 hours ago

Brother the team literally doesn’t have a PG lmao

sorendiz | HOU

3 | 3 hours ago

we need a point guard

brnccnt7

1 | 5 hours ago

KD cannot win without Curry

Curry can win without KD

itsnotgoinghome

-2 | 6 hours ago

Calling captain obvious. On the not so obvious side, why tf did the wizards deal for AD who’s out for the season?

indecisive_aspie | Warriors

2 | 5 hours ago

they’re not trying to compete this year so he does not jeopardize their tank and they see him as a piece that will help them compete next year once Trae’s healthy and they get their lottery pick

Awkward_Chard_5025

0 | 5 hours ago

Jersey sales 🤣

JoeBiden2020FTW | Lakers

-7 | 5 hours ago

Sengun over Giannis has to be one of the biggest fumbles in recent memory

sammymate999 | Rockets

1 | 3 hours ago

Sengun over Giannis for what? What are you even talking about lmao

JoeBiden2020FTW | Lakers

0 | 3 hours ago

Could’ve probably done Sengun for Giannis. Doesn’t seem like they even put Sengun on the table.

sammymate999 | Rockets

1 | 3 hours ago

So you’re just making up fake trades now and calling it a fumble lmao?

bsinbsinbs | Suns

-12 | 6 hours ago

😆 fleeced

Limp_Screen7405

4 | 6 hours ago

Fleece how?

sammymate999 | Rockets

2 | 3 hours ago

Rockets above the suns and Jalen Green looks great, super fleece

bsinbsinbs | Suns

0 | 3 hours ago

We got literally anything valuable and you got the whiny bum who loves his isos. Enjoy your first round exit

sammymate999 | Rockets

2 | 3 hours ago

Any danger in your sentences making sense? Makes it hard to debate when you can’t speak English

bsinbsinbs | Suns

1 | 2 hours ago

lol must be that great Houston education of yours

sammymate999 | Rockets

1 | 2 hours ago

‘We got literally anything valuable’ and you’re making fun of my education lmao

[DuBose] The Rockets wouldn’t have brought in Kevin Durant if they had known they wouldn’t have Fred…they knew last June that they needed Fred for a chance at contending with KD.